GOT    ■     1924 


Division  SS  4^ 
Section    •  -H  3  B 

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EPISTLES 
TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


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THE    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 

NEW  YORK    •    BOSTON   •    CHICAGO   •    DAIXAS 
ATLANTA    •    SAN  FRANCISCO 

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THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA.  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


EPISTLES 
TO   THE   CORINT  _,,„,__ 

OCT  'A    1924 

I  CORINTHIANS  BY\  /^ 

Professor  JAMES  s/rI(3^6ICHL  %V^ 

AUBURN   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 

II  CORINTHIANS  BY 

Professor  HARRY  LATHROP  REED 

AUBURN   THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 
1922 

All  rights  reserved 


PRINTED  IN   THE    UNITED   STATES   OF   AMERICA 


Copyright,   1922, 
By  the  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  printed.     Published  November,   1922. 


Press  of 
J.  J.  Little  &  Ives  Company 
New  York,  U.  S.  A. 


FOREWORD 

Owing  to  peculiar  and  unavoidable  circumstances  it  be- 
came necessary  for  me  to  ask  to  be  relieved  of  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  It 
was  my  earnest  desire  that  Dr.  Reed,  my  colleague  at 
Auburn,  should  take  over  this  task.  Having  secured  the 
kindly  consent  of  the  Editor  and  Publishers  to  this 
change,  Dr.  Reed  graciously  set  himself  to  work.  As  the 
result  of  his  analytic  power,  spiritual  insight  and  clear- 
ness of  expression  we  have  an  interpretation  which,  I  am 
sure,  will  prove  itself  greatly  helpful  toward  the  under- 
standing of  this  complex  epistle. 

J.  S.  RiGGS. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Introduction i 

The  First  Epistle 21 

Introduction 151 

The  Second  Epistle 180 


EPISTLES 
TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


I.     EPISTLE 
To  THE  CORINTHIANS 

INTRODUCTION 

I.     Corinth 

There  is  no  one  of  Paul's  letters  which  reveals  so  fully 
the  reaction  of  the  life  of  the  city  upon  the  church  as 
does  I  Corinthians.  It  is  well,  therefore,  to  know  some- 
thing of  the  city  itself.  Located  on  the  southwestern  side 
of  the  isthmus  of  the  same  name,  it  was  on  the  direct 
line  of  trade  and  travel  between  the  East  and  the  West. 
It  had  two  ports — Lechaeum,  one  and  one-half  miles 
distant  on  the  Corinthian  gulf,  to  which  came  the  ship- 
ping of  Italy,  Sicily,  and  Spain,  and  Cenchreae,  eight  and 
one-half  miles  from  the  city  on  the  Saronic  gulf,  where 
ships  from  places  all  about  the  eastern  part  of  the 
Mediterranean  found  anchorage.  The  way  across  the 
isthmus  shortened  the  route  to  the  west  by  many  miles 
and  obviated  the  perilous  sail  around  Cape  MaJea,  on 
the  southern  coast  of  Greece.  Arriving  at  either  port, 
large  ships  transhipped  their  cargoes  across  the  narrow 
neck  of  land  for  further  transport.  Small  vessels  were 
often  hauled  across  the  isthmus  on  a  tramway  about  five 
miles  long.  The  value  of  this  shortened  trade  route  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  plans  were  made  in  Paul's  time 
to  cut  a  canal  through  the  isthmus.  Nero  actually  began 
to  dig  one,  but  found  the  undertaking  too  difficult,  and  it 
is  only  in  recent  times  (1893)  that  the  two  gulfs  have 
been  thus  united.    Corinth  was  thus,  as  Horace  described 


INTRODUCTION 


it,  "the  city  of  two  seas."  Nor  was  it  only  on  the 
shortest  way  from  the  East  to  the  West,  but  as  the 
isthmus  was  the  "bridge  of  the  sea,"  Corinth  was  like- 
wise on  the  direct  road  from  the  Peloponnesus  to  the 
northern  parts  of  Greece  and  profited  also  by  reason  of 
this  position.  In  fact,  its  highly  advantageous  commer- 
cial situation  lay  at  the  foundation  of  the  greatness  of 
both  Old  Corinth  and  New  Corinth  and  did  much  to 
give  both  of  them  their  peculiar  character.  It  is  with 
New  Corinth,  however,  that  we  are  now  concerned.  The 
old  city  was  utterly  destroyed  by  the  Romans  in  146 
B.C.  and  the  site  was  desolate  for  about  one  hundred 
years.  In  46  b.c.  the  new  city  was  founded  by  Julius 
Caesar,  who  established  a  colony  of  Roman  veterans  and 
freedmen  near  the  Acrocorinthus,  the  great  protective 
rock  of  the  old  city.  By  the  time  Paul  came  to  visit  it 
the  new  foundation  had  become  a  very  large  city  with 
a  mixed  population  of  Italians  (descendants  from  the 
early  colonists),  Greeks,  Jews,  and  orientals  from  all 
parts  of  the  East.  The  Greek  influence  was  dominant 
in  the  life  of  the  city.  Because  of  its  importance  it  had 
been  made  the  capital  of  the  Roman  province  of  Achaia 
and  the  seat  of  the  Roman  Proconsul.  The  commercial 
greatness  of  the  old  city,  which,  during  the  period  of 
desolation,  had  been  given  to  Delos,  was  rapidly  re- 
gained. New  Corinth  became  the  most  prominent  and 
the  richest  city  of  Greece.  Its  chief  business  was  again 
the  transport  of  goods. 

Like  most  cities  that  have  become  great  commercial 
centers,  it  was  a  place  of  sharp  contrasts.  Poverty  and 
squalor  had  their  abode  in  wretched  huts;  wealth  and 
luxury  in  costly  palaces.  Beautiful  temples  enriched  by 
columns  of  marble  and  porphyry  and  ornamented  with 
gold  and  silver  adorned  its  streets.  The  gods  of  Greece, 
Rome,  and  Egypt  had  their  shrines  not  far  from  each 
other.     Luxurious  living  characterized   often  by  gross 


INTRODUCTION 


self-indulgence  brought  about  debasement  of  character. 
Two  elements  of  the  population  contributed  especially 
to  the  maintenance  of  the  desperate  profligacy  for  which 
Corinth  was  noted,  viz.,  the  sailors  found  constantly  in 
her  streets  and  the  numerous  slaves  who  had  their  miser- 
able existence  within  her  confines.  Even  religion  gave 
sanction  to  immorality  by  its  cult  of  sexual  indulgence. 
To  live  like  a  Corinthian  was  synonymous  with  de- 
bauchery. Paul  wrote  his  letter  to  the  Romans  from 
Corinth,  and  it  was  from  her  life  that  he  got  the  descrip- 
tion of  paganism  which  is  found  in  Rom.  1:21-32. 
Drunkenness  was  common  and  dishonesty  notorious.  It 
would  be  unfair,  however,  to  leave  the  impression  that 
business  and  profligacy  were  the  only  characteristics  of 
the  city. 

There  were  intellectual  interests  both  in  art  and  phi- 
losophy. No  Greek  city  was  without  interest  in  philoso- 
phy and  schools  of  philosophy  were  to  be  found  in 
Corinth.  Her  citizens  were  proud  of  their  mental  acute- 
ness;  so  much  so  that  in  their  conceit  they  criticized  all 
men  and  questioned  anything  and  everything.  They 
loved  disputation,  but  all  their  intellectual  activity  re- 
sulted in  nothing  of  much  value.  The  wisdom  of  the 
schools  took  little  hold  upon  the  earnest  realities  of  life. 
They  dabbled  in  philosophy.  The  knowledge  that 
^^puffeth  up"  was  a  consequence.  Indeed,  'Hhe  arti- 
ficiality and  flowing  rhetoric  of  the  sophists"  were  quite 
satisfying.  Far-reaching  fame  came  to  the  city  from  the 
Isthmian  games  which  were  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Corinthians  and  which  brought  together  every  third  year 
many  contestants  and  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 
In  the  markets  of  the  world  Corinthian  wares  of  fine 
clay,  tapestries,  and  vessels  of  bronze  were  well  known. 
New  Corinth,  in  brief,  was  a  busy,  keen-witted,  pleasure- 
loving,  grossly  immoral  city,  given  over  to  idolatry  and 
superstition  and  exerting  a  wide-reaching  influence  by 


INTRODUCTION 


reason  of  the  streams  of  travel  constantly  passing  through 
it.  "The  merchant  toiling  upward  by  all  possible  means, 
the  glutton  yielding  to  every  desire,  the  athlete  steeled 
by  exercise  and  bidding  defiance  to  every  power — these 
were  the  real  Corinthian  types;  in  a  word,  the  man  whom 
none  surpasses,  to  whom  nothing  is  impossible  and  noth- 
ing denied"  — Dobschiitz.  The  one  place  of  any  moral 
illumination  at  all  amid  the  surrounding  darkness  was 
the  humble  synagogue  of  the  Jews.  Until  the  church 
of  Christ  was  established  it  was  probably  the  only  refuge 
for  any  Gentile  who  longed  for  better  things  than  either 
the  idolatry  of  the  temples  or  the  philosophy  of  the 
schools  could  give  him.  Such  was  the  Corinth  to  which 
Paul  came  as  a  Missionary  of  the  Cross.  Only  unwaver- 
ing faith  in  the  power  of  God  could  have  nerved  him  for 
his  task. 

II.    The  Founding  of  the  Church 

It  was  on  his  second  missionary  journey  that  Paul 
crossed  into  Europe  for  the  first  time.  Sailing  from  Troas 
he  landed  at  Neapolis  in  Macedonia,  and  took  Philippi, 
"the  foremost  town  of  the  district  of  Macedonia"  (Acts 
16:12),  as  the  starting  point  of  his  labors.  There,  at 
Thessalonica,  at  Bercea,  and  in  all  likelihood  in  neighbor- 
ing places,  he  accomplished  an  extensive  and  important 
work  which  he  was  compelled  to  leave  because  of  the 
determined  hostility  of  the  Jews.  Very  reluctantly  he 
gave  up  Macedonia,  for  he  felt  that  his  work  there  had 
not  been  finished.  There  was  no  alternative  but  to  get 
away,  at  least  for  a  time,  so  his  friends  escorted  him  as 
far  as  Athens  (Acts  17:15).  Here  he  was  to  await  the 
coming  of  Timothy  and  Silas,  who  were  expected  to  join 
him  as  soon  as  possible.  Timothy  came  bringing  un- 
favorable news,  and  was  immediately  sent  back  to 
Thessalonica  to  strengthen  and  encourage  those  who  had 


INTRODUCTION 


been  faithful.  Though  Silas  is  not  mentioned,  he  also 
came  to  Athens  and  was  given,  in  all  probability,  a  like 
mission  to  Philippi.  Paul  with  his  mind  and  heart  still 
fixed  upon  Macedonia,  was  left  alone  in  Athens.  It  was 
during  his  wanderings  about  its  streets  that  he  became 
oppressed  and  saddened  by  the  idolatry  of  this  university 
city.  As  was  his  custom,  he  argued  with  the  Jews  in  their 
synagogue,  but  with  no  success.  The  impressive  event 
of  his  brief  stay  was  his  address  on  the  Areopagus, 
wherein  with  "words  of  wisdom"  he  sought  to  win  his 
hearers,  who  responded  only  with  sneers  and  ridicule. 
Three  converts  were  the  result  of  this  brief  ministry  in 
Athens.  Dispirited,  lonely,  half  sick  (i  Cor.  2:3),  he 
resolved  to  go  on  to  Corinth.  Upon  his  arrival  he  natu- 
rally sought  out  the  Jews'  quarter,  and  in  order  to  sup- 
port himself,  the  bazaar  of  the  tentmakers.  Here  he 
came  across  Aquila,  a  fellow  craftsman,  who  had  re- 
cently come  with  his  wife,  Priscilla,  from  Italy,  both  of 
them  having  been  driven  out  by  the  anti- Jewish  edict 
of  the  Emperor,  Claudius  (Acts  18:2).  Cheered  by  these 
friends,  who  were,  in  all  probability.  Christians,  he  began 
to  preach  in  the  'Jewish  synagogue.  How  he  preached  is 
set  forth  in  i  Cor.  2:1-4.  He  sought  to  convince  the 
Jews  that  the  Messiah  was  Jesus,  but  he  met  with  little 
success.  They  opposed  and  abused  him  as  they  had 
done  in  Macedonia.  Paul,  however,  had  been  nerved  by 
the  good  news  from  Macedonia  (i  Thess.  3:6-9),  and 
from  the  same  source  freed  from  the  burden  of  daily 
toil  by  the  contribution  of  funds  towards  his  support; 
in  consequence,  he  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would 
not  be  driven  out  again  by  the  Jews,  but  would  turn  to 
the  Gentiles  (Acts  18:6).  The  house  of  Titus  Justus, 
a  Roman  proselyte,  was  offered  him  as  a  center  for  work 
and  gladly  accepted.  It  was  a  critical  moment  in  the 
mission  of  the  Apostle.  The  Jews  were  now  embittered ; 
the  city  was  in  spirit  a  foe  to  his  message.     Could  he 

5 


INTRODUCTION 


make  any  impression  upon  it?  Luke  tells  us  of  a  vision 
given  him  at  this  time  by  the  Lord,  who  said  to  him, 
''Have  no  fear,  speak  on  and  never  stop,  for  I  am  with 
you,  and  no  one  will  attack  and  injure  you.  I  have 
many  people  in  this  city"  (Acts  i8:io).  This  com- 
pletely settled  the  matter,  and  Paul  "sat  down,"  as  the 
original  expresses  it,  resolved  to  stay  and  give  himself 
wholly  to  his  ministry.  The  brief  record  is  that  "many 
of  the  Corinthians  listened,  believed  and  were  baptized" 
(Acts  i8:8).  The  Jews  made  one  more  attempt  to  get 
him  put  away.  They  brought  him  up  before  the  Pro- 
consul Gallio,  with  the  charge  that  he  was  inciting  men 
"to  worship  God  contrary  to  the  Law,"  i.e.,  that  Paul 
was  interfering  with  their  religion  and  by  implication 
establishing  a  new  religion,  which  was  not  allowed  by 
Roman  law,  as  was  Judaism.  Gallio  refused  to  see  the 
matter  in  this  light,  and  not  only  dismissed  the  charge 
but  winked  at  the  beating  which  the  populace  gave  the 
Jewish  leader  (Acts  18:17).  Thus  was  fulfilled  the 
promise  that  "no  one  will  attack  and  injure."  Paul 
continued  his  work  for  sixteen  months,  and  then  left  for 
Syria. 

"The  church  of  God  in  Corinth"  (i  Cor.  1:2).  How 
suggestive  of  earnest,  effective  spiritual  labor  the  state- 
ment is!  Also  how  pregnant  with  contrasts  it  is!  There 
is  good  reason  to  believe  that  a  large  Christian  church 
was  built  up  in  this  wicked  city.  From  what  Paul  says 
in  I  Cor.  1:27-28,  viz.,  that  God  hath  chosen  what  is 
foolish,  what  is  weak,  what  is  mean  and  despised — those 
who  are  so  insignificant  as  to  be  considered  nonentities,  it 
has  been  concluded  that  only  the  poor  and  ignorant 
were  persuaded  to  accept  Christ.  The  majority  perhaps 
were  poor,  but  there  are  evidences  from  the  letter  itself 
that  a  goodly  number  of  the  better  class  had  also  become 
members.  We  know  of  Crispus,  "the  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue" (Acts  18:8);  of  Erastus,  the  city  treasurer  (Rom. 

6 


INTRODUCTION 


16:23);  and  of  Gaius,  who  was  "hospitable  to  the  whole 
church"  (Rom.  16:23).  While  no  one  in  the  church 
could  "plume  himself  in  his  advanced  education  or  in 
his  long  descent  from  an  old  family,"  yet  there  were, 
doubtless,  freedmen  who  were  men  of  ability  and  had 
to  some  degree  prospered  in  business.  Even  the  slaves 
were  not  of  the  most  degraded  kind,  for  household  slaves 
and  town  slaves  enjoyed  many  privileges.  The  congre- 
gation was  a  mixture  not  only  of  people  of  different 
races,  but  also  of  different  social  classes.  There  was 
ample  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  charity  and  toler- 
ance. It  is  notable  from  the  epistle  itself  "that  moral 
transformation  had  been  accompanied  by  mental  quick- 
ening" and  this  latter  slipped  easily  into  manifestations 
of  itself  that  were  characteristic  of  the  intellectual  life 
of  the  city,  such  as,  e.g.,  a  fondness  for  "words  of  wis- 
dom," pretensions  to  knowledge,  love  of  disputation,  or 
some  form  of  mental  display.  All  of  this  points  to  a 
level  of  social  position  quite  above  the  lowest.  The 
"saints"  of  the  Corinthian  church  were  for  the  most 
part  an  eager,  mentally  undisciplined  company  who 
needed  much  instruction  both  as  regards  the  way  and 
the  spirit  of  true  Christian  living.  Withal  it  was  a 
matter  of  deepest  thanksgiving  that  he  had  been  enabled 
to  gather  into  a  new  unity  such  a  group  from  the  pagan- 
ism of  Corinth. 


III.  The  Place,  Date  and  Occasion  of  the  Writing 
OF  THE  Epistle 

I.     The  Place 

This  was  Ephesus.  Near  the  close  of  the  letter  Paul 
writes:  "I  am  staying  on  for  the  present  at  Ephesus 
until  Pentecost"  (i  Cor.  16:8). 

7 


INTRODUCTION 


2.     The  Date 

Owing  to  the  insufficiency  of  the  data  of  the  New 
Testament  for  constructing  a  precise  chronology  of  the 
life  and  letters  of  Paul  there  is  considerable  variation 
in  the  chronological  schemes  of  different  scholars.  This 
letter  has  thus  been  dated  by  each  year  from  53  to  57  a.d. 
Recently  an  inscription  was  discovered  at  Delphi  which 
throws  some  light  upon  the  problem.  This  inscription 
contains  part  of  a  letter  written  by  the  Roman  Emperor 
Claudius  to  the  city  seemingly  confirming  some  of  its 
privileges,  and  in  it  he  mentions  Gallio  as  "his  friend 
and  proconsul  of  Achaia."  It  is  the  dating  of  the  in- 
scription which  helps  us  to  the  time  of  the  proconsulship. 
The  date  is  the  twenty-sixth  acclamatio  imperatoria,  i.e., 
the  twenty-sixth  public  approbation  given  to  the  Emperor 
for  some  great  accomplishment.  By  comparing  this  with 
two  other  inscriptions — one  found  in  the  Carian  city  of 
Cys  and  the  other  in  Rome,  commemorating  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Claudian  Aqueduct,  we  are  able  to  get  the 
year  of  the  twenty-sixth  acclamation.  The  time  of  the 
dedication  of  the  Arch  of  the  Aqueduct  was  August  i,  52. 
The  twenty-seventh  acclamation  was  just  before  this  date. 
As  the  proconsul  took  office  on  July  i,  a.d.  52,  this  was 
in  the  time  of  the  twenty-sixth  acclamation.  It  was 
probably  soon  after  Gallio 's  arrival  in  Corinth  that  the 
Jews  brought  Paul  before  him.  He  had  already  been 
at  work  in  the  city  about  a  year.  After  his  release  he 
remained  some  time  and  then  started  for  Syria  (Acts 
18:18).  It  is  not  needful  to  give  here  the  stages  in 
the  journey  which  brought  him  via  Jerusalem,  Antioch 
and  Galatia  around  to  Ephesus.  The  journey  was  some- 
what protracted  and  Paul  was  in  Ephesus  three  years, 
near  the  close  of  which  period  this  was  written — probably 
in  the  spring  of  56  a.d. 

8 


INTRODUCTION 


3.     The  Occasion  of  the  Epistle 

Two  equally  important  reasons  impelled  Paul  to  write 

1  Corinthians.  One  was  the  disturbed  condition  of  the 
church  reported  to  him  by  "Chloe's  people"  (i  Cor. 
II :i)  and  by  others  coming  from  Corinth.  Contentions 
had  arisen'  and  the  church  was  split  up  into  cliques  as- 
serting adherence  respectively  to  Paul,  Apollos,  Cephas 
or  Christ.  Apollo,  the  brilliant  Alexandrian,  was  con- 
trasted with  plain  and  unassuming  Paul.  Cephas  was 
extolled  by  those  who  were  mainly  inspired  by  a  strong 
prejudice  against  the  broad  teaching  of  Paul,  and  along 
with  these  came  the  party  of  Christ  who  tried  to  re- 
pudiate all  party  names  and  yet  after  all  made  the  name 
of  Christ  a  badge  of  their  destructive  position.  These 
parties  had  not  come  to  an  open  breach,  but  they  were  on 
the  way  to  it.  Discord  and  confusion  were  fast  be- 
coming the  atmosphere  of  the  church.  The  same  factious 
spirit  was  also  manifest  in  their  resort  to  heathen  courts 
for  the  settlement  of  their  disputes.  Furthermore,  the 
sin  of  impurity  had  manifested  itself  in  a  desperate  form 
among  them  and  had  not  received  the  stern  treatment 
it  deserved.  He  had  already  written  to  them  upon  this 
general  subject  (see  i  Cor.  5:9  ^).  How  could  they  go  on 
in  ''windy  pride"  and  with  no  sign  of  grief  over  the  mat- 
ter? There  were  disorders  connected  with  worship  and 
denials  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  All  these  called 
for  earnest,  searching  words  from  Paul  and  gave  him 
ample  reason  to  write.  But  another  reason  called  for  the 
use  of  his  pen,  and  that  was  a  letter  sent  by  the  Corin- 
thians to  Paul  requesting  instruction  upon  several  matters 
which  were  perplexing  the  church  and  causing  anxiety. 
This  letter  is  referred  to  in  7:1.    "Now  about  the  ques- 

^  By    several    commentators    a    part    of    this    lost    letter    is    found    iq 

2  Cor.   6:14 — 7:1. 


INTRODUCTION 


tions  in  your  letter." — In  all  likelihood  Stephanus,  For- 
tunatus  and  Achaicus  were  the  bearers  of  this  letter  as 
well  as  of  other  information  not  included  in  the  letter. 
The  questions  in  the  Corinthian  letter  may  be  surmised 
from  the  recurring  formula  "Now  concerning,  etc.,"  which 
is  found  in  7:25,  8:1,  12:1,  16:1,  16:12 — which  marks 
the  beginning  of  Paul's  treatment  of  a  given  subject. 
Several  ingenious  reproductions  of  this  letter  have  been 
made,  but  we  have  not  space  to  give  one  here.^  The  whole 
of  I  Corinthians,  after  the  introduction,  may  be  roughly 
divided  into  two  parts:  1:10 — 6:20  based  upon  informa- 
tion brought  by  Chloe's  people,  and  7:1 — 16:24  based 
upon  the  letter  of  inquiry  and  the  information  of  its 
bearers.  The  portion  7:1 — 11  :i  is  immediately  con- 
cerned with  the  reply  to  the  Corinthian  letter.  It  is 
from  these  questions  and  problems  arising  out  of  the 
experience  of  the  church  and  from  Paul's  answers  rich 
in  insight  and  comprehensive  in  grasp  that  this  epistle 
has  gained  its  practical  character.  In  this  respect  no 
other  epistle  in  the  New  Testament  is  quite  like  it. 

IV.    Plan  of  the  Epistle 
Introduction 

1.  Salutation;  1:1-3. 

2.  Thanksgiving;  1:4-9. 

I.   Concerning  Matters  Needing  Censure, 
1:10 — 6:20 

I.     Party  Spirit  in  the  Light   of  the  Gospel  and  Its 
Ministry,  1 :  i  o — 4 : 2 1 . 
a.    The  situation  in  the  church  and  an  exhortation 
to  unity;  1:10-17. 

^  An    excellent    speculative    reproduction    of    it    by    Dr.     Findlay    is 
found  in  the  Expositor  for  the  year    1900. 

10 


INTRODUCTION 


b.  The  true  nature  of  the  Gospel ;  i :  1 8—3 : 4. 

(i)   It  is  not  a  wisdom  but  a  power;  1:18 — 2:5. 
This  is  shown: 
{a)  by  the  experience  of  those  to  whom  it 

came;  1:18-25. 
(6)  by  the  make-up  of  the  church;   1:26- 

31. 
{c)  by  Paul's  attitude  when  he  came  to 

them;  2:1-5. 
(2)  The  Gospel  contains  a  wisdom;  2:6 — 3:4. 
{a)  This  wisdom  described;  2:6-13. 
\b)  Who  alone  can  describe  it  and  why; 

2:14—3:4. 

c.  The  true  conception  of  Christian  Teachers ;  3 : 5 — 

4:23. 
(i)  They  are  but  husbandmen — God  gives  the 
increase;  3:6-8. 

(2)  They  are  builders  and  must  build  with  care; 

3:10-15. 

(3)  They  are  (by  implication)  conservers  of  the 

Temple,  for  whosoever  destroys  it  by 
party  strife  shall  be  destroyed;  3:16- 

17. 

(4)  The  true  teacher  renounces  the  wisdom  of 

the  world;  3:18-20. 
Conclusion;  3:21-23. 

(5)  They  are  to  be  accounted  stewards  of  God's 

secret  truths;  4:1-5. 

(6)  Personal  application  of  truth  with  an  attack 

upon   the   pride   of   the    Corinthians; 
4:6-13. 

(7)  As  their  father  in  the  faith  he  appeals  to 

them  to  follow  him.    The  test  he  will 
apply  when  he  comes;  4:14-21. 

The  Case  of  Incest,  5:1-13. 

a.    The  offender  to  be  expelled;   5:1-8. 
II 


INTRODUCTION 


b.     Explanation  of  a  former  command  relating  to 
fornication;  9-13. 

3 .  Their  Litigious  Spirit,  6:1-11. 

4.  Impurity y  6:12-20. 

II.     Questions  Regarding  Marriage  and  the  Chris- 
tian's Relation  to  Idol  Sacrifices  and  Feasts — 
THE  Reply  to  the  Corinthian  Letter, 
7:1 — II  :i 

1.  Questions  Regarding  Marriage,  7:1-40. 

a.  Marriage  or  Celibacy?  7:1-9. 

b.  Shall  those  who  are  married  separate?  7:10-16. 

c.  The   Christian   life   and   one's   earthly   station; 

17-24. 

d.  The  marriage  of  virgins,  7:26-40. 

2.  Questions  Regarding  Meat  Offered  to  Idols,  8:1 — 

ii:i. 

a.  How  the  strong  must  act  in  view  of  the  weak. 

Personal  liberty  must  be  restricted  by 
the  spirit  of  love;  8:1-13. 

b.  Paul's  example  of   self-denial   for  the  sake  of 

others;  9:1-22. 

c.  The  value  of  voluntary  restriction  of  personal 

liberty     to     the     strong     themselves; 
9:23-27. 

d.  The  rejection  of  ancient  Israel  and  its  warning 

to  them;  10:1-14. 

e.  The  inconsistency  of  going  to  the  Lord's  table  and 

also  to  idol  feasts;  10:15-22. 
/.     General  principles  and  specific  directions;   10:23 
— ii:i. 


12 


INTRODUCTION 


III.  Disorders  in  Connection  with  Public  Worship 

1.  The  Unveiling  of  the  Head  by  Women  in  Public 

Worship  y  11:2-16. 

2.  The  Profanation  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  11:17-34. 

3.  The  Misuse  of  Spiritual  Gifts,  12:1 — 14:40. 

a.  The  test,  variety,  unity  and  purpose  of  spiritual 

gifts;  12:1-11. 

b.  The  analogy  between  the  Church  and  the  human 

body;  12:12-31. 

c.  The  indispensability  of  love,  its  characteristics 

and  its  durability;  13:1-13. 

d.  The  superiority  of  prophesying  to  speaking  with 

tongues;   14:1-25. 

e.  Regulations  for  the  orderly  exercise  of  gifts  in 

Public  Worship;  14:26-33. 
/.     Women    are    to    keep    silent    in    the    churches; 

14:34-36. 
g.     Paul's  assertion  of  authority;  14:37-38. 
h.     Conclusion  of  the  whole  matter;  14:39-40. 

IV.  Teaching  Concerning  the  Resurrection  of  the 

Dead,  15:1-58 

1.  The  Creed  which  the  Church  had  accepted  and  a 

Summary  of  the  Witnesses  of  the  Risen 
Lord,  15:1-11. 

2.  Four  reductio  ad  absurdum  Arguments  from  the  As- 

sertion of  some  that  ''dead  men  do  not 
rise,"  15:12-34. 

a.  If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  Christ  is  not  risen  and 

our  preaching  and  your  faith  are  empty; 

15:13-15- 

b.  If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  Christ  is  not  risen  then 

{a)  your  faith  is  futile,  (b)  the  Chris- 
tian dead  have  perished,   (c)   we  who 

13 


INTRODUCTION 


have  hoped  in  Christ  in  this  life  are  of 
all  men  to  be  pitied  most;  16-19.  Paul 
passes,  at  verse  20,  from  argument  to  a 
prophetic  utterance  whose  theme  is 
Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead 
hence 
(i)  Those  who  belong  to  Him  shall  rise  in  the 
Parousia;  22-23. 

(2)  When  He  shall  have  brought  all  enemies, 

even  death  itself,  to  naught;  24-26. 

(3)  And  He  shall  give  up  the  Kingdom  that  God 

may  be  all  in  all;  27-28. 

c.  If  dead  men  do  not  rise  Baptism  for  the  dead  is 

of  no  avail;  29. 

d.  If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  daily  risk  and  danger 

have  no  meaning;  30-34. 

3.  Objectors  Answered — The  Body  of  the  Risen,  35-49. 

a.  Analogy   from   nature — to    the   seed   sown   and 

through  death  (disorganization)  ap- 
pearing again  above  the  ground  God 
giveth  a  body  (so  in  the  resurrection) ; 

35-38. 

b.  The  great  variety  of  bodies  shows  that  God  can 

easily  provide  another  body  for  the 
resurrection  life;   39-41. 

c.  This  mortal  body  is  during  life  sown  in  corrup- 

tion, dishonor,  weakness  and  as  an  ani- 
mate body.  That  body  which  God  shall 
give  shall  be  incorruptible,  glorious, 
powerful,   spiritual;    42-44. 

d.  The  promise  and  pledge  of  this  is  in  the  fact  that 

the  Risen  Lord  is  a  quickening  spirit; 

45-49. 

4.  What   shall  Happen  to  those  who  shall   be  Alive 

When  the  Lord  Comes, 
a.     In  an  instant  they  shall  be  changed — the  mortal 
shall  put  on  immortality;  50-53. 

14 


INTRODUCTION 


b.     Death  shall  be  vanquished;  they  shall  be  victori- 
ous  through    the   Lord   Jesus   Christ; 

54-57. 
Conclusion:    Be  stedfast,  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord;    58. 

V.    Practical  and  Personal  Matters  and  the  Con- 
clusion, 16:1-24. 

The  collection  for  the  poor  at  Jerusalem,  16:1-4. 
The  Apostle's  intention  to  visit  Corinth,  16:5-9. 
Commendation  of  Timothy  and  Apollos,   16:10-12. 
Directions  about  Stephanas  and  others,  16:15-18. 
Salutations,  warning,  benediction,  16:19-24. 


V.    Authorship 


It  is  only  in  recent  years  that  any  doubt  has  been 
cast  upon  Paul's  authorship  of  the  Corinthian  epistles. 
All  attacks,  however,  have  failed,  for  the  testimony  to 
the  genuineness  of  both  epistles  is  really  irrefutable. 
Especially  for  i  Corinthians  has  the  attestation  of 
Paul's  authorship  been  sure  and  widespread.  Clement 
of  Rome  (90-100  a.d.)  writing  to  the  Corinthians  near 
the  close  of  the  first  century  calls  upon  them  to  "take  up 
the  epistle  of  the  blessed  Paul  the  Apostle.  Of  a  truth 
he  enjoined  you  spiritually  concerning  himself  and 
Cephas  and  Apollos  because  even  then  you  had  begun 
to  show  partialities"  (i  Epis.  to  Cor.,  ch.  47).  Polycarp 
(140-155  A.D.)  quotes  I  Cor.  6:2  as  the  words  of  Paul 
(Epis.  to  Phil.,  ch.  11).  Irenaeus  (140-202  a.d.),  the  dis- 
ciple of  Polycarp,  also  quotes  from  Corinthians  and  at- 
tributes it  to  Paul  (Bk.  III.  Against  Heresies,  ch.  11:9, 
18:2).  Clement  of  Alexandria  (189-219  a.d.)  and  Tertul- 
lian  (160-220  A.D.)  of  Northwest  Africa  do  the  same. 
These  names  are  of  men  not  only  prominent  in  the  church, 

15 


INTRODUCTION 


but  representative  of  widely  separated  parts  of  it.  Other 
writers  of  this  early  time  have  many  echoes  of  the 
thoughts  and  quotations  of  the  words  of  i  Corinthians, 
showing  their  familiarity  with  it  but  taking  for  granted 
Paul's  authorship.  The  evidence  is  continuous  and  clear 
from  within  a  comparatively  short  time  of  its  origin  to 
the  beginning  of  the  second  century.  From  that  time 
onward  it  is  unquestioned.  In  addition  to  the  witness 
of  early  Christian  writers  the  fact  is  to  be  noted  that  the 
epistle  is  found  in  the  early  Syriac,  Coptic  and  Latin 
versions.  In  several  important  ancient  manuscripts  the 
letter  is  found  in  its  entirety. 

This  external  evidence  is  seconded  by  the  witness  of 
the  epistle  itself.  It  not  only  fits  into  the  account  of 
Paul's  work  in  Corinth  given  in  the  Acts,  but  also  to  the 
historical  situation  from  which  it  is  supposed  to  come. 
The  enthusiasms,  defects  and  aberrations  of  the  Corin- 
thians are  justly  accounted  for  by  their  training  and  en- 
vironment. Who  but  Paul  could  have  met  the  perplexi- 
ties of  the  time,  with  the  spiritual  insight,  firmness  and 
tenderness  which  the  letter  displays!  It  all  thoroughly 
accords  with  his  character  as  made  known  to  us  in  the 
Acts  and  in  his  other  epistles. 

VI.    The  Distinctive  Value  of  First  Corinthians 

Before  turning  to  the  study  of  the  epistle  itself  it  will 
be  helpful  to  emphasize  some  of  its  features  which  should 
be  kept  in  mind  as  one  studies. 

I.  Its  picture  of  life  in  the  early  church.  Undoubt- 
edly among  its  members  were  those  who  had  passed 
from  the  outer  circle  of  the  synagogue,  i.e.,  from  the 
proselytes  to  Judaism.  They  had  come  under  the  influ- 
ence of  its  strong  demands  for  purity  of  Hfe  and  ideals 
of  conduct  far  above  those  of  paganism.  The  Corinthian 
church  was  not  singular  in  this — all  the  Pauline  churches 

i6 


INTRODUCTION 


had  accessions  of  this  kind.     Others  in  the  church  had 
separated  themselves  directly  from  a  heathen  mode  of 
life.     It  was  a  sharp  change  and  those  who  experienced 
it  faced  a  steep  and  difficult  path  away  from  old  habits 
and  customs  toward  new  and  exalted  ideals.    No  epistle 
exhibits  more  fully  the  need  and  struggle  for  readjust- 
ment to  another  order  of  life.     Paul  addresses  them  all 
as  '^Saints"  and  thanks  God  for  the  "grace  that  has  been 
bestowed  upon   them   in   Christ   Jesus"    (i-4),,  but  we 
soon  realize  as  we  go  on  in  the  epistle  that  "saints"  has 
a  different  meaning  from  that  which  we  ordinarily  give 
to  the  word  and  that  "grace"  has  much  to  do  to  shape 
life  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.    Strong 
contrasts  are  brought  out  within  this  community  of  saints. 
Individualism  asserts  itself  again  and  again  against  the 
bond  of  the  spirit  which  holds  them  together.    They  own 
one  Lord,  indeed,  but  how  much  they  have  to  learn  of 
His  spirit.     Some  fall  easily  into  the  old  ways  to  which 
they  had  been  accustomed;  others  react  with  such  rigor 
that  they  are  ready  for  rather  extreme  forms  of  asceticism. 
They  go  as  brethren  to  a  common  meal  and  manifest  a 
selfishness  that  virtually  denies  all  brotherliness.     The 
pressure  of  social  custom  in  regard  to  guilds,  clubs,  or 
temple  feasts  is  put  upon  them  and  "the  strong"  lose  all 
consideration  of  "the  weak."     "Pride  of  knowledge"  is 
impatient  with  unclear  and  hesitating  conceptions.    Inde- 
pendence is  almost  eager  to  break  with  habits  of  decorum 
in  public  worship.      Skepticism   questions   the  truth  of 
great  Christian  verities.    There  is  manifest  in  the  church 
in  more  than  one  direction  a  sad  lack  of  a  clear  church 
consciousness.      And    yet    that    heterogeneous   body   of 
slaves,  artisans,  slave-owners,  city  officials  from  different 
races,  is,  after  all,  held  together  by  allegiance  to  Christ 
and  by  the  Spirit  of  God.    It  is  all  this  that  makes  the 
epistle  a  fascinating  study.     It  is  calculated  to  destroy 
all  illusions  about  an  ideal  church  in  the  apostolic  age. 

17 


INTRODUCTION 


These  men  were  human  as  men  in  the  church  today  are — 
very  human,  and  this  epistle  lets  us  see  the  fact.  It  also 
shows  the  eagerness  of  the  church  to  learn  the  way  of  Hfe. 
Part  of  the  reason  of  the  letter's  existence  is  the  ques- 
tioning earnestness  as  to  how  its  perplexities  and  difficul- 
ties can  be  solved.  First  Corinthians  might  be  described 
as  Lessons  in  the  Education  of  the  Early  Church.  This 
brings  us  to  the  second  distinctive  feature  of  the  epistle. 

2.  The  application  of  great  principles  to  the  problems 
of  Christian,  social  life.  It  is  this  feature  that  has  made 
this  letter  of  abiding  worth.  Factional  spirit,  compromise 
with  the  world,  careless  assertion  of  Christian  liberty  and 
the  pride  of  intellectualism  have  not  been  peculiar  to  any 
one  age  of  the  church.  We,  alas!  know  too  much  about 
them  in  our  own  day.  Again  and  again  the  church  has 
come  back  to  the  principles  which  the  Apostle  gave  to 
the  Corinthians.  We  have  no  problem  about  eating 
meat  offered  to  idols,  nor  of  the  pride  of  "speaking  with 
tongues,"  but  the  spirit  which  needed  rebuke  or  instruc- 
tion yet  appears.  Paul's  spiritual  insight  and  his  pro- 
found understanding  of  the  spirit  of  his  Master  enabled 
him  to  give  answers  which  are  yet  applicable.  He  sug- 
gested no  superficial  remedies;  rather,  he  met  the  spirit 
of  selfishness  in  any  and  every  form  with  the  spirit  of 
devotion  to  Christ  and  forgetfulness  of  self,  embodying 
them  in  a  principle  which  was  a  sure  solution  of  the 
problem  to  which  it  was  applied.  It  is  these  principles 
that  virtually  constitute  the  Bible  for  us  as  far  as  i 
Corinthians  is  concerned.  In  them  we  have  the  soul 
of  this  epistle.  It  were  well  to  gather  them  out  of  one's 
study  of  their  setting.  The  peculiar  form  of  the  setting 
has  in  more  than  one  instance  passed  away.  The  prin- 
ciples abide. 

3.  Another  feature  of  this  epistle  is  its  great  chapter 
on  Love.  The  twelfth  and  thirteenth  chapters  have  been 
called  the  heart  of  the  epistle.     Certainly  in  the  thir- 

18 


INTRODUCTION 


teenth  chapter  we  reach  the  climactic  expression  of  that 
spirit  which  Paul  in  some  way  set  over  against  all  the 
sins  of  the  church.  The  church  was  marked  by  the 
possession  of  the  Spirit,  but  it  had  but  a  faint  concep- 
tion of  the  truth  that  the  "spirit  worketh  by  love."  Its 
"knowledge"  was  not  what  it  should  be,  because  of  the 
want  of  love.  Its  liberty  was  not  guided  and  restrained 
by  it.  Its  pride  was  untouched  by  it.  In  an  exalted 
utterance  which  Paul  would  describe  as  "a  prophecy"  he 
sets  forth  the  indispensability,  the  characteristics,  and  the 
durability  of  Christian  love.  No  chapter  in  the  epistle 
deserves  closer  study.  It  is  a  study  of  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  Himself.  Held  up  before  the  preceding  chapters 
of  the  epistle  it  reveals,  as  would  a  fine  mirror,  the 
distortions  and  defects  of  the  unlovely  spirit  that  appears 
in  them.  The  one  other  part  of  the  epistle  that  stands 
out  with  prominence  is 

4.  The  Teaching  about  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead. 
There  is  a  triumphant  note  in  it  that  is  often  missed  in 
the  way  it  is  read  at  the  burial  of  our  dead.  The  remark- 
able feature  in  it,  however,  is  in  its  way  of  correcting 
the  misapprehensions  of  both  the  Jews  and  the  Greeks  re- 
garding this  great  subject.  It  does  not  speak  of  "the 
resurrection  of  the  body,"  though  it  defends  bodily 
resurrection;  it  teaches  that  there  will  be  "a  spiritual 
body,"  but  is  silent  about  the  substance  of  that  body; 
it  is  confident  of  the  "resurrection  of  believers,"  but  has 
no  doctrine  regarding  the  resurrection  of  those  who  have 
not  felt  the  quickening  Spirit  of  the  Risen  Christ.  Wise 
in  its  silences,  it  is  also  careful  in  its  utterances.  It  is 
emphatic  in  its  assertion  of  the  vital  connection  of  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  with  His  life  and  death  in  the 
accomplishment  of  redemption.  If  He  did  not  rise,  then 
the  whole  Christian  message  of  salvation  is  emptied  of  its 
content  and  Christian  faith  and  hope  are  futile.  The 
chapters  rank  with  the  greatest  in  the  New  Testament. 

19 


INTRODUCTION 


VII.    Helps  to  the  Study  of  the  Epistle 

I.      TRANSLATIONS 

Moffat's  A  New  Translation  of  the  New  Testament. 
Weymouth's  The  New  Testament  in  Modern  Speech. 
A.  S.  Way's  The  Letters  of  Paul— A  Translation. 

n.    commentaries 

Edwards.    Independent  and  highly  valuable. 

FiNDLAY  {Expositor's  Grk.  Test.).  Thorough,  clear,  and  very 
able. 

Evans  {Speaker's  Commentary).  Scholarly  and  vivid  in  presen- 
tation. 

GoDET.    Distinguished  by  spiritual  insight  and  clearness  of  style. 

Stanley.    Rich  in  illustration. 

Robertson  &  Plummer  {International  Crit.  Com.).  Scholarly, 
full,  and  very  helpful. 

GouDGE  {Westminster  Commentaries).    Helpful. 

Beet.     Concise  and  scholarly. 

Parry  {Cambridge  Bible  for  Schools,  New  Edition).  Concise 
and  scholarly. 

Massie  {The  New-Century  Bible).    Concise  and  helpful. 

DoDS  {Expositor's  Bible).  An  attractive  and  able  homiletic 
presentation. 

Robertson  (F.  W.) — Lectures  on  i  and  2  Corinthians.  Full  of 
spiritual  insight  and  practical  applications. 

m.      GENERAL    BOOKS 

Knowling.    Witness  of  the  Epistles. 

CoHN.    St.  Paul  in  the  Light  of  Modern  Research. 

Smith  (David).    The  Life  and  Letters  of  Paid. 

Lake.     The  Earlier  Epistles  of  Paul. 

Ramsay.    St.  Paul  the  Traveler. 

Historical    Commentary   in   Expositor,   6th    Series,  Vols.   I 
and  II. 

Patdine  and  Other  Studies. 
Chadwick.     The  Pastoral  Teaching  of  Paul. 
Thackeray.    The  Relation  of  Paul  to  Contemporary  Thought. 
Kennedy.    St.  Paul  and  the  Mystery  Religions. 
MiLLiGAN.     The  Resurrection  of  the  Body.    Exposition  of  Chap. 

IS. 
Hastings.    Dictionary    of    Apostolic    Church:      Articles    on    the 
Epistles    and    on    various    subjects,    such    as    "Eucharist," 
"Gifts,"  "Resurrection,"  etc. 

20 


THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  TO  THE 
CORINTHIANS 

Salutation  and  Thanksgiving,  i  :  1-9 

1.  Paul,  called  to  be  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ 
through  the  will  of  God,  and  Sosthenes  our  ^  brother: 

2.  To  the  Church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  even 
them  that  are  ^  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called 
to  be  Saints,  with  all  that  call  upon  the  name  of 

*  Or.,   the   brother.  ^  Consecrated,  set  apart. 

The  Salutation  (1-3).  Paul  using  the  customary  polite  form 
of  Greek  letters  sends  a  salutation  and  an  expression  of  thanks. 
Both  are  modified  by  Christian  forms  of  thought.  The  thanks- 
giving is  to  God  for  the  spiritual  enrichment  of  the  Church. 

1.  Through  the  Will  of  God,  Paul  emphasized  always  the 
directness  of  his  call  from  God  to  be  an  apostle.  Cf.  Gal.  1:1. 
Sosthenes  the  brother.  He  is  associated  with  Paul  in  the 
salutation,  not  as  joint  author  of  the  epistle  but  rather  as  one 
who,  well-known  to  the  Corinthians  and  honored  by  them, 
approves  the  views  and  counsels  of  the  letter.  It  is  not  certain 
that  he  was  the  Sosthenes  of  Acts  18:17. 

2.  The  Church  of  God  at  Corinth.  All  that  was  actual 
in  the  contrast  between  the  pagan,  corrupt  city  and  the  little 
body  of  Christians  is  gathered  up  in  this  expression.  Sanctified 
in  Christ  Jesus.  Sanctified  does  not  mean  holy  in  our  common 
use  of  that  term  but  "consecrated,"  "set  apart."  Their  consecra- 
tion by  faith  to  Jesus  Christ  had  in  it  the  promise  of  ultimate 
holmess.  The  same  is  true  of  the  word  "saints"  immediately 
following.  In  the  clause  attached  to  the  word  saints,  viz.,  with 
all  who  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  writer 
wishes  to  remind  the  Corinthians  of  their  unity  with  all  Chris- 
tians who  have  as  their  common  distinctive  mark,  prayer  to 
Christ.    There  was  sad  need  of  emphasis  upon  this  conception  of 

21 


1 :3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

3.  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  every  place,  their  Lord 
and  ours:  Grace  to  you  and  peace  from  God  our 
Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

4.  I  thank  my  God  always  concerning  you,  for  the 
grace  of  God  which  was  given  you  in  Christ  Jesus; 

5.  that  in  everything  ye  were  enriched  in  him,  in  all 

6.  utterance  and  all  knowledge;  even  as  the  testimony 

Christian  unity  for  the  Church  was  disturbed  by  factions.  In 
this  brief,  compact  salutation  Paul  gives  the  marks  of  a  true 
church  (i)  it  is  called  of  God,  (2)  it  is  consecrated  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  to  a  holy  life,  (3)  it  is  one  in  worship  of  Jesus  as 
Lord. 

3.  Grace  and  peace.  A  combination  of  Greek  and  Jewish 
forms  of  salutation  with  a  spiritual  meaning  given  to  both. 
Grace  is  the  loving  favor  of  God  to  men,  and  peace  the  outcome 
of  it.    "The  two  together  comprehend  all  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit." 

The  Thanksgiving  (4-9) .  There  is  considerable  variety  in  the 
thanksgivings  prefixed  to  the  various  letters  of  Paul,  since  each 
one  singles  out  that  which  is  noteworthy  in  the  history  or  state 
of  the  Church  addressed  (see  Phil.,  Thess.,  Rom.).  Here  the 
cause  of  thanksgiving  is  the  enrichment  "in  all  utterance  and  all 
knowledge"  which  had  issued  from  the  gift  of  God's  grace. 
Despite  the  sins  concerning  which  the  letter  is  to  speak  the 
Corinthians  had  shown  clearly  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
Spirit.  Paul  is  careful  to  remember  this  and  thus  in  a  con- 
ciliatory way  prepares  for  dealing  with  their  inconsistencies. 

4.  Paul's  gratitude  is  for  the  grace  of  God  which  was  given 
to  them  at  conversion  and  which,  in  virtue  of  their  union  with 
Christ  maintained  by  devotion  to  Him,  had  brought  about 

5.  that  enrichment  of  their  nature  which  was  manifested  in 
all  utterance  and  in  all  knowledge.  By  this  is  meant  that 
their  spiritual  experience  had  quickened'  and  expanded  their 
natural  powers.  The  Greeks  were  noted  as  thinkers  and  speakers. 
These  talents  the  Spirit  used  for  the  understanding  and  procla- 
mation of  the  Gospel  and  the  Church  had  revealed  a  peculiar 
power  in  apprehending  truth  and  conveying  it  to  men.  The 
ability  to  throw  light  upon  the  meanmg  of  the  Christian  life  was 
no  small  enrichment.  TTemptations  came  in  connection  with  the 
use  of  these  gifts,  but  they  had  hitherto  nobly  served  the  cause 
of  Christ. 

6.  Even  as.  This  introduces  an  explanation.  It  was  because 
of,   and   in   proportion    to    their   firm   conviction   regarding    the 

22 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  1:9 

7.  of  Christ  was  confirmed  in  you:  so  that  ye  come  be- 
hind in  no  gift;   waiting  for  the  revelation  of  our 

8.  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  who  shall  also  confirm  you  unto 
the  end,  that  ye  be  unreprovable  in  the  day  of  our 

9.  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  faithful,  through  whom 
ye  were  called  into  the  fellowship  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

Gospel  message  concerning  Christ  that  their  natural  powers  had 
been  quickened. 

7.  The  result  was  that  they  felt  themselves  in  no  way  inferior 
to  other  churches  in  any  gift  of  grace.  "No  other  church  ex- 
celled the  Corinthian  in  the  variety  of  its  endowments."  Wait- 
ing for  the  revelation.  The  consciousness  of  their  com- 
plete enrichment  was  kept  clear  by  that  spiritual  attitude 
which  earnestly  looked  forward  to  the  end  of  the  age  when  Jesus 
should  again  appear.  The  hope  of  the  Second  Coming  was  very 
vivid  in  the  Early  Church. 

8.  Confirm  you.  Toward  that  great  day  they  might  look 
with  abiding  comfort  for  their  Master  would  keep  them  stedfast 
so  that  they  might  be  free  from  charge  at  its  august  judgment. 

9.  God  is  faithful.  This  is  the  ultimate  ground  for  what 
has  just  been  said.  He  who  has  called  them  into  a  fellowship 
founded  by  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  and  drawing  thence  all  its 
blessings  will  not  fail  in  His  promises. 


23 


i:io 


I.    Concerning  Matters   Needing  Censure, 
i:io — 6:20 

I.   Party  Spirit  in  the  Light  of  the  Gospel  and  its 
Ministry,  1:10 — 4:21 

10,  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  through  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same 
thing  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  among  you; 
but  that  ye  be  perfected  together  in  the  same  mind 
and  in  the  same  judgment. 

11.  For  it  hath  been  signified  unto  me  concerning  you, 


a.  The  situation  in  the  Church  and  exhortation  to  unity,  1:10-17 

It  is  somewhat  surprising  to  pass  from  the  commendation  of 
the  introduction  to  this  first  section  which  has  to  deal  with  fac- 
tion. The  whole  introduction  keeps  prominent  the  relationship 
of  God  and  His  grace  to  all  that  had  been  achieved.  The  coop- 
eration and  devotion  of  the  Church  itself  are,  of  course,  supposed, 
but  the  Church  was  human,  and  despite  all  there  was  to  praise 
there  were  at  the  time  of  writing  sad  instances  of  shortcoming. 
One  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  the  Greeks  was  their  readi- 
ness to  criticize  and  argue.  Opportunity  for  its  exercise  came  as 
different  teachers  came  to  them.  The  whole  tendency  of  critical 
comparison  was  to  put  greater  emphasis  upon  the  manner  of 
the  presentation  of  the  gospel  rather  than  upon  the  gospel  itself. 
From  this  it  passed  to  questions  of  authorities,  hence  their  dis- 
sensions. There  had  been  no  actual  rupture  in  the  Church  but 
the  condition  was  troubled  and  threatening.  It  demanded  serious 
attention. 

10.  Speak  the  same  thing.  Earnestly  he  begs  of  them  to 
make  up  their  differences;  to  do  away  with  their  factions  by 
coming  to  the  same  frame  of  mind  and  opinion.  The  figure  of 
the  latter  part  of  the  verse  is  that  of  repairing  a  rent  in  a  garment. 

11.  Chloe.  Nothing  is  known  of  her  beyond  this  reference  to 
her  household.     She   was  probably  a   resident   of   Ephesus;   her 

24 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        1:14 


my  brethren,  by  them  which  are  of  the  household  of 

12.  Chloe,  that  there  are  contentions  among  you.  Now 
this  I  mean,  that  each  one  of  you  saith  I  am  of 
Paul;  and  I  of  Apollos;  and  I  of  Cephas;  and  I  of 

13.  Christ.  Is  ^  Christ  divided?  was  Paul  crucified  for 
you?  or  were  ye  baptized  into  the  name  of  Paul? 

14.  -I  thank   God   that  I  baptized  none  of  you  save 

»  Or,    Christ   is   divided.      Was   Paul    crucified    for   you? 
2  Some   ancient   manuscripts   read:    I   give   thanks    that. 


"people"  had  been  to  Corinth  and  returned  to  Ephesus  bringing 
reports  of  the  Church. 

12.  I  am  of  Paul.  Much  discussion  has  been  given  to  the 
questions  regarding  the  number  and  characteristics  of  these 
parties.  There  were  probably  four.  Comparison  and  dispute 
may  have  begun  after  Apollos  had  preached  in  Corinth.  Ulti- 
mately the  whole  church  was  involved.  Each  one  of  you  saith, 
etc.  Apollos  was  a  learned  and  eloquent  man.  His  manner  of 
preaching  the  truth  drew  many  to  him  to  the  disparagement  of 
Paul.  Those  who  had  come  into  the  church  under  the  apostle's 
preaching  stood  for  him.  The  question  as  to  who  was  the  most 
attractive  preacher  passed  over  into  the  more  significant  one, 
"Who  is  our  authority?"  This  brought  to  the  front  the  Jewish 
element  in  the  church  which,  with  its  stricter  adherence  to  the 
law,  took  the  name  of  Cephas  or  Peter  as  its  watchword.  Finally, 
as  over  against  them  all  a  Christ  party  asserted  itself.  What- 
ever the  basis  of  its  claim,  whether  personal  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  while  on  earth  or  pretension  that  it  best  understood  his 
mind,  its  sin  lay  in  making  the  name  of  Christ  the  rallying  cry 
of  a  sectarian  spirit  and  bringing  Him  into  rivalry  with  Paul  and 
Apollos  and  Peter. 

13.  Is  Christ  divided?  Christ  belonged  to  the  whole  church. 
Does  he  belong  to  one  section  of  it?  Does  the  Christ  as  inter- 
preted by  Paul  differ  from  the  Christ  interpreted  by  Apollos? 
The  parties  were  virtually  saying  "Yes,"  and  thus  bringing 
about  difference  and  division.  Was  Paul  crucified  for  you 
or  were  ye  baptized  into  the  name  of  Paul?  The  cross 
and  baptism  both  should  have  emphasized  in  the  thought  of  the 
Corinthians  the  exclusive  supremacy  of  Christ.  He  alone  had 
died  for  them;  they  were  all  baptized  into  His  name.  The  re- 
membrance of  these  facts  would  show  the  folly  of  magnifying 
the  names  of  leaders  as  they  were  doing. 

14.  I  thank  God.     The  tendency  to  rally  about  and  glorify 

25 


i:i5       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

15.  Crispus  and  Gains;  lest  any  man  should  say  that 
ye  were  baptized  into  my  name. 

16.  And  I  baptized  also  the  household  of  Stephanas; 
besides  I  know  not  whether  I  baptized  any  other. 

17.  For  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach 
the  Gospel:  not  in  the  wisdom  of  words,  lest  the  cross 
of  Christ  should  be  made  void. 

18.  For  the  word  of  the  Cross  is  to  them  that  are 
perishing  foolishness;  but  unto  us  who  are  being 
saved  it  is  the  power  of  God. 

leaders  makes  Paul  thankful  that  he  has  done  so  little  baptizing. 
Thus  he  had  destroyed  every  pretext  for  regarding  him  as  a 
party  leader.  It  was  for  exceptional  reasons  that  he  had  bap- 
tized Crispus,  a  former  ruler  of  the  synagogue  (Acts  18:8)  and 
Gaius  (Rom.  16:23)  and  the  household  of  Stephanas  (cf.  16:15, 

17). 

17.  For  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize.  Paul  had  in  no  way 
failed  to  do  his  duty  in  not  baptizing  nor  does  he  mean  to  dis- 
parage baptism.  He  simply  makes  it  subordinate  to  the  great  com- 
mission which  he  had  received,  viz.,  to  preach  the  good  news  of 
salvation.  Not  in  the  wisdom  of  words.  He  would  make 
no  effort  to  captivate  them  by  fine  speaking  or  philosophical  argu- 
ment. Nothing  must  divert  attention  from  the  cross  and  its 
significance,  lest  it  be  emptied  of  its  power.  With  these  words 
Paul  turns  to  explain  further  why  he  preached  to  them  as  he  did. 
In  this  explanation  he  sets  forth  (i)  the  true  nature  of  the 
Gospel  (1:18 — 3:4)  and  (2)  the  true  position  of  the  Christian 
teacher  (3:5 — 4:5).  In  considering  the  true  nature  of  the  Gospel 
he  shows  in  the  first  place  that  it  is  not  a  religious  speculation 
(wisdom)  but  a  power  unto  salvation.  His  argument  is  based 
upon  the  experience  of  those  who  heard  it  (1:18-25);  upon  the 
make-up  of  the  Corinthian  Church  (1:26-31)  and  upon  the 
manner  of  his  coming  to  them  (2:1-5). 

I.  The   True  Nature   of   the   Gospel,   1:18—3:4 

I.  It  is  not  a  wisdom  but  a  power,  1:18 — 2:5.  This  is  shown 
(a)  by  the  experience  of  those  to  whom  it  came,  1:18-25. 

18.  For  the  word  of  the  Cross  is  to  them  that  are  perish- 
ing foolishness.  As  the  fact  of  the  Cross  was  set  before  men 
they  separated  into  two  classes.  Some  seeing  in  it  no  wisdom, 
i.e.,  no  attractive  exposition   of  a  consistent  system  of  thought, 

26 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       1:21 

19.  For  it  is  written: 

I  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise 

And  the  prudence  of  the  prudent  will  I  reject. 

20.  Where  is  the  wise?  Where  is  the  Scribe?  Where 
is  the  disputer  of  this  ^  world?  Hath  not  God  made 
foolish  the  wisdom  of  the  world? 

21.  For  seeing  that  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world 

^Age. 

considered  it  silly  that  it  should  be  a  means  of  salvation;  others, 
accepting  it,  found  it  a  veritable  power  in  their  lives  for  the 
transformation  of  character.  This  latter  result  confirmed  the 
Apostle  in  his  determination  to  know  nothing  but  "Jesus  and 
him  crucified"  among  them.  To  be  sure,  those  turned  away  who 
were  looking  for  intellectual  gratification  but  intellectual  satis- 
faction is  often  far  removed  from  spiritual  consecration.  No 
merely  human  wisdom  can  secure  that  penitence  and  that  faith 
which  the  direct  vision  of  the  cross  awakens. 

19.  For  it  is  written.  See  Is.  29:14.  The  substitution  of 
the  power  of  God  for  worldly  cleverness  is  just  what  God  had 
prophesied  He  would  in  time  accomplish.  The  prophecy  is  now 
fulfilled.  The  wise  man,  whether  Greek  philosopher  or  Jewish 
Scribe,  no  matter  how  able  to  argue,  has  had  his  wisdom  con- 
founded.   See  Is.  19:11  and  33:18. 

21.  For  seeing  that  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  Mark 
how  closely  Paul  joins  his  statements  through  verses  18-21. 
Each  is  connected  with  the  preceding  by  a  "for"  giving  the 
basis  or  reason  of  what  has  been  said.  Verse  21  thus  explains 
what  has  been  said  in  verses  19-20.  Two  interpretations  have 
been  given  to  the  words  in  the  wisdom  of  God.  One  refers  it 
to  those  works  of  creation  and  providence  by  which  God  seeks 
to  make  Himself  known  (see  Rom.  1:19  ff.)  and  then  the  reason 
would  be  "since  the  world  did  not  come  to  know  God  as  He 
was  manifested  in  creation,  it  pleased  God,  etc."  According  to 
the  other  and  preferable  interpretation  "the  wisdom  of  God" 
means  God's  wise  plan  that  He  was  not  to  be  known  through 
human  philosophizing.  The  best  Greek  philosophy  had  gained 
but  vague  and  indefinite  conceptions  regarding  Him.  It  was 
also  a  way  over  which  few  could  go.  How  little  the  people 
knew!  God  was  virtually  an  unknown  God  to  them.  Now 
by  a  method  which  in  comparison  was  simplicity  itself  men 
were  to  have  revealed  to  them  the  very  heart  of  the  Father. 
Through  the  foolishness  of  preaching  they  were  brought  to 

27 


1 122       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

through  its  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  was  God's  good 
pleasure  through  the  ^  foolishness  of  preaching  to 

22.  save  them  that  believe.     Seeing  that  Jews  ask  for 

23.  signs  and  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom;  but  we  preach 
2  Christ  crucified,  unto  Jews  a  stumbling  block  and 

24.  unto  Gentiles  foolishness;  but  unto  ^  them  that  are 
called  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of 

1  The  thing  preached.         ^  A  Messiah.         ^  The  called  themselves. 

2l  saving  knowledge.  Paul  speaks  of  the  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Greeks.  That  could  not  be 
really  foolishness  which  was  the  means  through  which  was 
expressed  the  power  of  God  (see  vs.  18)    to  those  who  believed. 

22.  Seeing  that  Jews  ask  for  signs  and  Greeks  seek  after 
wisdom.  Herein  was  the  reason  why  the  message  of  the  Cross 
appeared  "foolishness";  why,  too,  the  world  knew  not  God. 
The  Jew  and  the  Greek  typified  the  attitudes  of  the  world  in 
that  day.  The  characteristic  of  the  one  was  a  demand  for 
external  proofs,  signs,  miracles  as  confirmation  of  one's  right 
to  the  claim  of  being  a  teacher  sent  from  God.  Above  all,  the 
hoped  for  Messiah  of  the  Jews  must  exhibit  such  signs.  They 
repeatedly  asked  for  these  from  Jesus.  "Except  ye  see  signs 
and  wonders,  ye  will  not  believe"  (Jn.  4:48).  The  Greek  mind 
on  the  other  hand  sought  for  something  subtle  and  brilliant.  It 
is  not  surprising  that  the  message  of  a  crucified  Messiah  be- 
came to  the  Jewish  nation  a  stumbling  block  and  to  the  Greeks 
appeared  as  foolishness. 

23.  The  externality  of  the  religious  life  of  the  one  had  blunted 
the  sense  of  sin;  the  optimism  of  the  philosophy  of  the  other 
had  never  felt  it.  Christ's  death  for  sinners  was  the  vital,  divine 
message  which  alone  could  awaken  men  to  the  sense  of  their 
true  position  and  save  them  through  faith.  Hence  the  emphatic 
antithesis  in  which  Paul  puts  his  Gospel. 

24.  We  preach  Christ  crucified.  To  those  who  have  ac- 
cepted him,  whether  Jews  or  Greeks,  he  has  proved  to  be  the 
power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  In  the  forgiveness 
of  their  sins  and  the  transformation  of  their  lives  they  have 
had  evidence  of  God's  power  clearer  and  surer  than  any  exter- 
nal signs,  while  in  the  truth  which  He  revealed  they  have  a 
wisdom   above  all   earthly  wisdom. 

25.  Because  the  foolishness  of  God.  What  the  Greeks 
looked  upon  as  a  foolish  policy  and  the  Jews  as  weak,  is  wiser 
and  stronger  than  anything  either  could  devise  or  do. 

28 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        1:29 

25.  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  Because  the  foolish- 
ness of  God  is  wiser  than  men;  and  the  weakness  of 
God  is  stronger  than  men. 

26.  For  behold  your  calling,  brethren,  how  that  not 
many  wise  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not 

27.  many  noble  ^  are  called;  but  God  chose  the  foolish 
things  of  the  world,  that  He  might  put  to  shame 
them  that  are  wise;  and  God  chose  the  weak  things 
of  the  world,  that  He  might  put  to  shame  the  things 

28.  that  are  strong;  and  the  base  things  of  the  world 
and  the  things  that  are  despised  did  God  choose, 
yea,   and  the  things  that  are  not,  that  He  might 

29.  bring  to  naught  the  things  that  are;  that  no  flesh 

^  Or,    have   part    therein. 


b.  It  is  confirmed  by  the  Make-up  of  the  Corinthian  Church, 
1:26-31 

26.  For  behold  your  calling.  The  word  "calling"  does  not 
refer  to  one's  vocation  in  life.  It  refers  to  their  summons  to 
the  Christian  Hfe.  Paul  asks  them  to  consider  "the  principle 
God  has  followed  in  calling  them"  (Beza)  to  be  Christians. 
The  great  majority  of  them  were  from  the  humble  class.  Not 
many  philosophers  (wise  according  to  the  flesh),  not  many 
socially  influential  men  (powerful),  not  many  well-born  men 
among  their  number.  Had  the  Gospel  made  its  appeal  through 
human  wisdom  or  in  some  form  of  external  power  it  would 
have  won  such  a  constituency.     On  the  contrary,  God  has 

27-28.  chosen  the  uneducated,  the  foolish  things  (simpletons 
in  the  world's  estimate),  those  having  no  influence  (weak 
things),  those  of  ignoble  birth  (the  base  things),  those  who 
are  despised,  yea,  those  who  are  so  insignificant  as  vir- 
tually to  be  counted  not  existing  at  all  (nonentities).  What 
a  confirmation  it  all  is  of  the  fact  that  the  Gospel  is  not  "a  clever 
dialectic"   but   a   power! 

29.  And  God  has  acted  upon  this  principle  of  putting  to  shame 
those  who  esteemed  themselves  wise  or  powerful  and  of  bring- 
ing to  naught  those  who  are  recognized  as  of  importance,  in 
order  that  no  man  should  boast  of  his  own  wisdom  or  power 
in   His   presence.     "The   one   party   are  humiliated  because   with 

29 


1 :30       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

30.  should  glory  before  God.  But  of  Him  are  ye  in 
Christ  Jesus,  who  was  made  unto  us  wisdom  from 
God,  and  righteousness  and  sanctification  and   re- 

31.  demption;  that  according  as  it  is  written,  He  that 
glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord. 

2.  I.  And  I  brethren,  when  I  came  unto  you,  came  not 
with  excellency  of  ^  speech  or  of  wisdom,  proclaiming 

2.  to  you  the  ^  mystery  of  God.  For  I  determined  not 
to  know  anything  among  you  save  Jesus  Christ  and 

^  Or,  word.         ^  SV.  With  many  ancient  authorities  read  testimony. 

all  their  wisdom  and  might  they  have  not  obtained  what  it 
concerned  them  to  reach,  salvation;  the  other  because  if  they 
have  obtained  it,  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  imagine  that  it  is 
by  their  own  natural  resources  that  they  have  come  to  it." — 
Hofmann. 

30.  But  of  Him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  is  to  God  alone 
that  they  owed  their  union  with  Christ  who  by  God's  gracious 
purpose  became  wisdom  to  us, — i.e.,  in  Christ  we  can  discern 
the  revelation  of  God's  mind  with  reference  to  our  salvation. 
This  wisdom  is  manifested  in  our  justification  which  means  our 
being  brought  into  right  relation  with  God  through  the  forgive- 
ness of  our  sins  and  by  the  impartation  to  us  of  His  Spirit;  our 
sanctification  or  our  growth  in  holiness  and  our  redemption  or 
our  final  and  complete  deliverance  from  sin  and  death  and 
entrance  into  heaven.  Christ  is  the  means  under  God  to  our 
realization  of  all  these  high  issues.  Surely,  then,  there  is  no 
room  for  boasting  in  regard  to  any  man  or  his  work.  "He  who 
glories,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord." 

c.  It  is  shown  by  his  attitude  when  he  came  to  them,  2:1-5 

1.  The  Apostle  has  given  his  readers  two  confirmations  of  the 
truth  that  the  Gospel  is  not  a  wisdom  but  a  power.  He  now 
recalls  his  manner  of  preaching  to  them  as  a  further  proof  of 
the  same  fact.  He  did  not  attempt  any  oratorical  display 
(excellency  of  speech)  or  philosophic  depth  (wisdom)  in 
proclaiming  the  testimony  of  God,  i.e.,  the  Gospel, 

2.  For  I  determined  not  to  know,  etc.  He  restricted  him- 
self with  deliberate  purpose  to  the  one  theme  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah  and  that  the  Messiah  had  been  crucified.  It  was 
an  unpopular  subject. 

30 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  2:6 

3.  Him  crucified.    And  I  was  with  you  in  weakness,  and 

4.  in  fear,  and  in  much  trembling.  And  my  ^  speech 
and  my  -  preaching  were  not  in  persuasive  words  of 

5.  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power;  that  your  faith  should  not  ^  stand  in  the 
wisdom  of  men  but  in  the  power  of  God. 

6.  Howbeit  we  speak  wisdom  among  the  ^  perfect, 
yet  a  wisdom  not  of  this  ^  world  nor  of  the  rulers  of 
this  ^  world   who   are   coming   to   naught ;    but   we 

^  Or,    word.     "^  Gr.,    thing   preached.     '  Gr.,    he.     *  SV,   fully    grown. 
"Or,    age:    and    so    in    vss.    7,    8,    but    not    in    v.    12. 

3.  And  I  was  with  you  in  weakness.  Not  only  was  his 
theme  unpopular  but  he  preached  to  them  with  none  of  the 
self-confidence  of  their  orators.     On  the  contrary  he  was 

4.  timid  and  anxious  as  he  realized  his  own  insufficiency.  De- 
spite all  this,  his  plain,  earnest  setting  forth  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  Cross  proved  mighty,  for  the  Spirit's  power  accompanied 
it  and  wrought  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  heard. 

5.  That  your  faith  should  stand.  The  purpose  of  the 
Apostle's  method  of  preaching  was  to  have  their  faith  placed 
upon  that  which  could  not  be  shaken.  It  had  not  been  won  by 
specious  arguments;  it  could  not  be  overthrown  by  them.  It 
came  to  be  through  the  power  of  God.  This  brings  to  a  con- 
clusion that  part  of  the  letter  which  shows  that  the  Gospel  is 
not  a  wisdom  but  a  power.  But  while  it  is  not  a  wisdom  in  the 
sense  in  which  the  Greeks  might  have  wished  it  to  be,  neverthe- 
less it  contained  a  wisdom.  This  is  the  main  thought  of  the  next 
section  of  the  second  chapter. 

(2)  The  Gospel  contains  a  wisdom,  2:6 — 3:4 

6.  Wisdom.  While  Paul  and  his  fellow-preachers  (we)  in 
Corinth  had  set  forth  the  facts  of  the  Cross  in  plain  speech 
and  unmixed  with  human  philosophizing  it  was  not  therefore  to 
be  understood  that  Christianity  had  no  wisdom  of  its  own.  On 
the  contrary,  in  the  Gospel  there  are  treasures  of  wisdom;  there 
is  a  philosophy  of  redemption,  divine,  profound  and  abiding. 
Only  he  who  has  "the  power  of  insight  into  things  Divine  re- 
vealed to  faith"  can  understand  it.  He  must  be  a  mature  (per- 
fect) Christian.  The  Epistle  to  the  Romans  is  an  unfolding  of 
this  wisdom.  Mere  secular  knowledge  or  intellectual  power  will 
not  give  one  this  insight,  for  this  wisdom  is  not  of  this  age  nor 

31 


2  7         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

7.  speak  God's  wisdom  in  a  mystery,  even  the  wisdom 
that  hath  been  hidden,  which  God  foreordained 
before  the  ^  worlds  unto  our  glory :  which  none  of  the 

8.  rulers  of  this  ^  world  knoweth:  for  had  they  known 
it,    they    would    not    have    crucified    the    Lord    of 

9.  glory:  but  as  it  is  written, 

Things  which  eye  saw  not,  and  ear  heard  not 
And  which  entered  not  into  the  heart  of  man. 
Whatsoever  things  God  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him. 

10,  ^  But  unto  us  God  revealed  ^  them  through  the 
Spirit;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the 

11.  deep  things  of  God.    For  who  among  men  knoweth 

1  Or,   age:  and  so  in  vss.   7,   8,  but  not  in  v.   12. 

^  Some    ancient    authorities    read    for.  ^  Or,    it. 

of  those  rulers  of  this  age  who  dominate  it  by  their  mental 
power  or  political  position.    It  is  God's  wisdom. 

7.  Mystery.  This  denotes  that  which  cannot  be  known 
unless  revealed.  This  wisdom  of  God,  this  philosophy  of  re- 
demption has  been  in  the  mind  of  God  from  all  eternity  and 
He  has  revealed  it  in  and  through  Christ. 

8.  Which  no  one  of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew.  It 
is  a  striking  example  of  the  calamitous  ignorance  concerning  this 
wisdom  of  God  that  Caiaphas,  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  and 
Pilate — men,  all  of  them,  of  high  position — put  to  a  shameful 
death  the  Lord  of  Glory. 

9.  But,  as  it  is  written.  The  construction  of  the  relative 
clause  "the  things  which  eye  saw  not"  is  best  accounted  for  by 
making  it  the  object  of  "we  speak"  understood.  It  is  then  in 
antithesis  to  the  clause  "which  none  of  the  rulers  of  this  world 
knoweth"  (vs.  8).  The  quotation  is  loosely  given  from  Is.  64:4 
and  65:17.  This  verse  is  often  quoted  as  referring  to  the  glories 
awaiting  the  Christian  in  heaven.  The  context  shows  us  that  it 
is  the  treasures  of  divine  wisdom  that  are  in  the  Apostle's  mind 
for  he  goes  on  to  tell  us  how  they  have  been  revealed. 

10.  But.  The  preferable  reading  is  for  and  gives  the  reason 
of  their  ability  to  tell  of  the  things  "which  eye  saw  not,"  etc. 
The  Spirit  of  God  had  revealed  these  things  to  them — that  Spirit 
who  knoweth  the  whole  mind  of  God,  being  everywhere  active. 

11.  The  argument  in  this  verse  is  from  analogy.  No  one 
knows   the    thoughts,    imaginations,    purposes    of    a    man's    spirit 

32 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       2:14 

the  things  of  a  man  save  the  spirit  of  the  men 
which  is  in  him?     Even  so  the  things  of  God  none 

12.  knoweth  save  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  we  received, 
not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which 
is  of  God;  that  we  might  know  the  things  that  are 
freely  given  to  us  by  God.     Which  things  also  we 

13.  speak,  not  in  words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth 
but  which  the  Spirit  teacheth ;  comparing  ^  spiritual 

14.  things  with  spiritual.  Now  the  ^  natural  man  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God:    for 

^  Or,    interpreting    spiritual    things    to    spiritual    men;    SV,    combining 
spiritual    tilings    u-iih   spiritual    words. 
2  Or,  unspiritual;   Gr.,  psychical. 

except  that  spirit  itself.  "Nor  even  the  dearest  soul,  and  next 
our  own,  knows  half  the  reasons  why  we  smile  or  sigh."  God's 
Spirit  alone  in  like  manner  knows  the  mind  of  God. 

12.  The  spirit  of  the  world.  This  is  the  spirit  to  which  the 
cross  was  foolishness;  the  spirit  of  those  who  crucified  the  Lord; 
the  spirit  of  that  wisdom  which  God  had  Himself  made  folly. 
From  it  could  come  no  light  upon  the  purposes  of  God.  It  was 
not  this  spirit  which  the  Apostles  received  when  they  became 
Christians,  but  rather  the  Spirit  of  God.  Verses  11  and  12  may 
be  stated  succinctly  in  this  form:  Only  the  Spirit  of  God  knows 
the  things  of  God.  We  received  the  Spirit  of  God,  therefore,  we 
know  what  is  given  us  by  God. 

13.  Paul  now  passes  from  the  substance  of  his  preaching  to 
the  manner  of  it.  His  utterances  are  inspired  by  the  Spirit. 
They  are  not  in  the  rhetoric  of  human  wisdom,  but  in  expres- 
sions taught  by  the  Spirit.  This  statement  is  not  to  be  pressed 
into  the  service  of  a  theory  of  verbal  inspiration.  As  Meyer 
says,  "the  term  'taught'  excludes  all  mechanical  representation  of 
the  fact  and  implies  in  the  person  inspired  a  living  assimilation 
of  the  truth  expressed."  Comparing  spiritual  things  with 
spiritual.  There  are  two  possible  interpretations  of  these  words: 
(a)  combining  spiritual  ideas  with  spiritual  language,  or  {b) 
suiting-  spiritual  truths  to  spiritual  minds.  The  latter  opens  the 
way  to  what  follows  in  verse  14,  and  is,  on  the  whole,  to  be 
preferred. 

14.  Natural.  This  adjective  describes  man  as  he  is  before  he 
opens  his  life  to  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  is  one 
whose   aims,   ambitions,   and   desires   do   not   rise   above   earthly 

33 


2:i5       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

they  are  foolishness  unto  him;  and  he  cannot  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  ^  judged.     But 

15.  he  that  is  spiritual  ^  judge th  all  things  and  he  him- 

16.  self  is  ^judged  of  no  man.  For  who  hath  known 
the  mind  of  the  Lord  that  he  should  instruct  him? 
But  we  have  the  mind  of  Christ. 

3.    I.  And  I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you  as  unto 

^  Or,    examined.  -  Or,    examineth. 

horizons.  He  may  be  a  man  of  culture  and  refinement  on  the 
one  side,  or  coarse  and  degraded  on  the  other,  but  he  has  not 
committed  his  way  unto  God.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  shut  out  of 
his  life.  Such  an  one  rejects  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  as 
foolish;  what  is  more,  he  is  utterly  unable  to  appreciate  them, 
for  insight  into  their  meaning  and  worth  comes  only  from  the 
indwelling  Spirit,  i.e.,  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  Spiritual 
discernment  comes  not  so  much  through  investigation  and  argu- 
ment as  through  humility,  love,  and  self -discipline,  under  God's 
Spirit. 

15.  But  he  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all  things.  He  stands 
upon  the  highest  plane  of  judgment.  The  Spirit  within  him 
helps  him  to  estimate  the  moral  worth  of  men  and  measures. 
He  is  enlightened  and  quickened  to  sift  everything  that  comes 
before  him.  Paul's  treatment  of  the  matters  which  come  up  in 
this  letter  illustrates  just  this  right  and  power  of  the  Spiritual 
man.  And  he  himself  is  judged  of  no  man,  i.e.,  of  no  un- 
spiritual  man.  This  does  not  mean  that  a  Christian  is  above 
criticism,   except   as   his  deep   spiritual-mindedness   exempts  him. 

16.  For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord.  This 
verse  gives  the  proof  of  what  has  just  been  set  forth.  It  is  a 
quotation  from  Is.  40:13  with  the  omission  of  the  middle  clause. 
Jehovah  addressing  ignorant  man  asks  "Who  hath  measured  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord?  Who  being  His  counsellor  hath  taught  Him?" 
The  answer  is  of  course,  "No  one."  The  fact  that,  by  the  in- 
dwelling Spirit  the  believer  has  the  mind  of  Christ  and  is  thereby 
put  over  against  the  unspiritual  man  as  is  the  Lord  Himself, 
renders  him  also  superior  to  the  judgment  of  the  world.  Note 
that  Paul  substitutes  "mind"  for  Spirit  in  the  quotation.  "Mind" 
is  spirit  on  its  intellectual  side.  Also  that  Christ  is  put  in  the 
place  of  Lord,  a  substitution  which  points  to  a  close  identifica- 
tion of  the  two. 

3.  Carnal  as  unto  babes  in  Christ.    With  this  verse  begins 

34 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         3:4 

spiritual  but  as  unto  carnal,  as  unto  babes  in  Christ. 
I  fed  you  with  milk,  not  with  meat:  for  ye  were  not 
yet  able  to  bear  it;  nay,  not  even  now  are  ye  able; 
for  ye  are  yet  carnal;  for  whereas  there  is  among 
you  jealousy  and  strife,  are  ye  not  carnal  and  walk 
after  the  manner  of  men?  For  when  one  saith,  I 
am  of  Paul;  and  another,  I  am  of  Apollos;  are  ye 
not  men? 


the  application  to  the  Church  of  all  that  he  has  just  written. 
The  wisdom  which  could  be  unfolded  to  those  who  were  mature 
in  the  Christian  life  could  not  be  spoken  to  them.  They  were 
not  ready  for  it.  "He  had  preached  to  them  the  Gospel  as  power 
(2:1-5);  he  could  not  preach  it  to  them  as  wisdom  (3:1-4)." 
The  reason  was  that  they  were  yet  "carnal,  babes  in  Christ." 
The  close  conjunction  of  the  words  "carnal,  babes"  helps  to 
interpretation.  By  the  word  "carnal"  Paul  does  not  mean  to 
say  that  the  Corinthians  were  entirely  without  the  Spirit.  In 
that  case  they  would  be  "natural"  (cf.  2:14).  They  were  rather 
hindering  their  development  m  spiritual  things  by  giving  place 
to  their  natural  instincts.  They  were  prolonging  their  babyhood, 
hence  he  says 

2.  I  fed  you  with  milk.  The  strong  meat,  which  is  a  figu- 
rative expression  for  that  wisdom  of  which  he  has  written,  he 
could  not  give  them. 

3.  For  ye  are  yet  carnal.  In  this  judgment  Paul  uses  in 
the  original  another  word  to  express  the  conception  "carnal." 
In  verse  the  word  signifies  "fleshy"  made  of  flesh  and  points 
to  that  "natural  state"  which,  as  suggested  by  the  word  "babes" 
immediately  following,  indicates  the  period  of  natural  instincts 
"not  culpable  in  itself,  but  only  so  if  unduly  prolonged."  Here 
the  word  is  the  equivalent  of  our  English  word  "fleshly"  and 
sets  forth  their  willful  conformity  to  worldly  motives.  It  is 
further  defined  by  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  "walk  after  the 
manner  of  men?"  i.e.,  they  were  conducting  themselves  as 
unspiritual  men  do.  Their  carnality  was  all  too  evident  in  the 
jealousy  and  strife  which  centered  in  their  party  cries  and  in 
party  support. 

Inasmuch  as  the  formation  of  these  parties  had  its  source  in 
a  misconception  of  the  position  and  function  of  their  teachers 
as  well  as  in  a  wrong  idea  of  the  Gospel,  Paul  now  turns  to  con- 
sider the  position  of  the  Christian  ministry, 

35 


3:5  EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

5.  What  then  is  Apollos?  And  what  is  Paul?  Minis- 
ters through  whom  ye  believed ;  and  each  as  the  Lord 

6.  gave  to  him.     I  planted,  Apollos  watered;  but  God 

7.  gave  the  increase.  So  then  neither  is  he  that  plant- 
eth  anything,  neither  he  that  watereth;    but   God 

8.  that  giveth  the  increase.  Now  he  that  planteth  and 
he  that  watereth  are  one;  but  each  shall  receive  his 
own  reward  according  to  his  own  labor.     For  we 

9.  are  God's  fellow-workers;  ye  are  God's  ^  husbandry, 
God's  building. 

1  Gr.,  tilled  land. 

II.  The  True  Conception  of  Their  Christian  Teachers,  3:5-4:21. 

(i)  They  are  but  the  servants  of  God  whose  power  alone  brings 
forth  increase  (3:5-9);  (2)  builders  upon  God's  building 
whose  one  foundation  is  Jesus  Christ  (3:10-15);  (3)  con- 
servers  of  the  temple  of  God  (3:16-17;  (4)  those  who  re- 
nounce the  wisdom  of  this  world  (3:18-23);  (5)  stewards 
of  the  mysteries  of  God  (4:1-5). 

5.  Ministers,  i.e.,  servants,  not  heads  of  parties.  The  verse 
implies  that  some  were  converted  through  the  instrumentality  of 
Apollos.     The  Lord  here  signifies  God. 

6.  Under  the  figure  of  a  garden  the  Church  is  viewed  as  planted 
by  Paul  and  watered  by  Apollos  (cf.  Acts  chs.  18  and  19).  The 
emphatic  consideration  is,  however,  that  God  is  the  efficient 
cause  of  growth. 

7.  As  growth  is  the  vital  matter,  so  in  comparison  with  Him 
who  causes  it  human  workers  are  as  nothing.  Certainly  they 
are  not  rivals. 

8.  They  are  one  thing  (neuter  in  the  Greek)  i.e.,  one  instru- 
mentality. They  come  under  one  category.  This  does  not  mean 
that  they  all  do  exactly  the  same  thing  or  accompHsh  just  the 
same  amount  of  work.  They  may  differ  in  capacity  for  service 
and  in  the  amount  of  service  rendered  and  so  each  shall  receive 
his  own  reward  according  to  his  own  labor.  Both  facts 
are  true,  viz.,  that  all  men  as  related  to  God,  are  but  servants, 
instruments;  and  that  as  they  differ  from  each  other  in  capacity 
and  accomplishment,  they  shall  be  rewarded. 

9.  For  we  are  all  God's  fellow-workers.  The  emphasis 
in  this  verse  is  upon  the  word  "God."     We  are  God's  fellow- 

36 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       3:14 

10.  According  to  the  grace  of  God  which  was  given 
unto  me,  as  a  wise  master-builder  I  laid  a  founda- 
tion; and  another  buildeth  thereon.  But  let  each 
man  take  heed  how  he  buildeth  thereon.     For  other 

11.  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid 

12.  which  is  Jesus  Christ.  But  if  any  man  buildeth 
on  the  foundation  gold,  silver,  costly  stones,  wood, 

13.  hay,  stubble;  each  man's  work  shall  be  made  mani- 
fest: for  the  day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  is  re- 
vealed in  fire ;  ^  and  the  fire  itself  shall  prove  each 

14.  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is.    If  any  man's  work 

*  Or,  and  each  man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is,  the  fire  shall  prove  it. 

workers.  It  is  honor  enough  to  be  called  to  this  high  relation- 
ship. It  ought  to  shame  all  thought  of  rivalry.  The  workers, 
the  field,  the  building,  all  belong  to  God.  How,  then,  can  one 
say  "I  belong  to  Paul"  or  another  "I  belong  to  Apollos"? 

10.  The  figure  now  changes  to  that  of  a  building  in  the  course 
of  construction.  Jesus  Christ  is  its  foundation  and  it  belongs  to 
God.  The  teacher's  work,  continuing  the  figure,  is  to  build  the 
superstructure  and  his  one  concern  is  to  be  careful  how  he 
builds,  for  there  is  a  possibility  of  putting  in  poor  as  well  as 
good  materials  and  a  day  is  coming  when  the  character  of  the 
work  will  be  tested  and  the  workman  be  judged  according  to 
the  issue  of  the  test. 

11.  Wise  Master-builder.  Wise  in  the  method  he  had  used 
and  the  foundation  he  had  laid. 

12.  Gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble. 
The  distinction  in  materials  is  clear.  To  what  do  they  refer? 
Not  to  doctrines  wholly  dissociated  from  persons,  since  in  verse 
9  the  Apostle  writes  "ye  are  God's  building"  but,  as  Evans  sug- 
gests, the  figure  seems,  as  in  a  dissolving  view,  to  change  from 
an  edifice  of  persons  molded  by  doctrine  to  one  of  doctrines 
molding  persons.  It  is  this  latter  edifice  that  shall  be  destroyed, 
if  made  of  "wood,  hay,  stubble."  It  is,  however,  to  be  under- 
stood that  the  inferior  construction  does  not  represent  teaching 
that  is  intentionally  false;  otherwise  the  workman  could  not 
himself  be  saved   (vs.   15). 

13.  The  day  shall  declare  it.  The  Day  of  Judgment  which 
shall  be  when  Christ  comes  (ch.  4:5).  Because  it  (i.e.,  the  Day) 
is  revealed  in  fire.  Fire  is  here  symbolic  of  a  searching,  test- 
ing judgment. 

37 


3:15       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

15.  shall  abide  which  he  built  thereon,  he  shall  receive  a 
reward.  If  any  man's  work  shall  be  burned,  he  shall 
suffer  loss;  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as 

16.  through  fire.    Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  a  ^  temple  of 

17.  God  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  If 
any  man  destroyeth  the  ^  temple  of  God  him  shall 
God  destroy ;  for  the  ^  temple  of  God  is  holy  ^  which 

18.  temple  ye  are.  Let  no  man  deceive  himself.  If  any 
man  thinketh  that  he  is  wise  among  you  in  this 
^  world,  let  him  become  a  fool,  that  he  may  become 

19.  wise.  For  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness 
with  God.  For  it  is  written.  He  that  taketh  the 
wise  in  their  craftiness ;  and  again,  the  Lord  knoweth 

20.  the   reasonings    of    the    wise    that    they    are   vain. 

21.  Wherefore  let  no  one  glory  in  men.     For  all  things 

^  Or,    sanctuary.  -  Or,  and  such  are  ye.  '  Or,    age. 

15.  But  he  himself  shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as  by  fire.  The 
picture  is  of  one  escaping  from  a  burning  building.  He  shall  be 
saved  as  out  of  the  flames.  He  has  built  on  the  true  foundation 
and  has  not  intentionally  put  up  inferior  work.  His  teachings 
shrivel  up  in  the  fire  of  judgment;  he  is  saved. 

16.  Paul  passes  in  this  verse  from  the  consideration  of  the 
responsibiUty  of  teachers  in  their  relation  to  the  Church  as 
builders  to  their  responsibility  as  preservers  of  the  Chuch  itself 
— the  temple  of  God.  The  word  for  temple  points  to  the  inner 
shrine  or  holiest  place  where  the  deity  dwelt. 

17.  If  any  man  destroyeth  the  temple  of  God.  The  local 
church  is  here  pictured  as  the  temple  of  God  and  the  destroying 
that  is  referred  to  is  that  which  was  being  brought  about  by 
the  spirit  of  faction.  He  who  seeks  to  destroy  God's  Church 
by  a  factious  spirit,  shall  himself  be  destroyed. 

18.  If  any  man  thinketh  he  is  wise  among  you.  The 
thought  here  reverts  again  to  that  wisdom  which  has  been 
spoken  of  in  1:17 — 2:5.  It  is  the  wisdom  of  this  world — that 
worldly  knowledge  and  intellectual  self-sufficiency  which  allows 
a  man  to  think  that  he  can  further  these  divisions.  He  is  self- 
deceived,  and  must  become  a  fool,  i.e.,  rid  himself  of  all  that 
which  in  the  world  is  regarded  as  wisdom  in  order  to  be  wise. 

19.  It  is  written.     See  Job  5:13  and  Ps.  94:11. 

21-23.  AH   things   are   yours.     All   your  teachers,   all   good 

38 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         4^3 


22.  are  yours;  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or 
the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
things  to  come,  all  are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's 

23.  and  Christ's  is  God's. 

4.    I .  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as  of  ministers  of  Christ 

2.  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  Here,  more- 
over, it  is  required  in  stewards  that  a  man  be  found 

3.  faithful.  But  with  me  it  is  a  very  small  thing  that 
I  should  be  ^  judged  of  you  or  of  man's  '  judgment; 
yea  I  ^  judge  not  mine  own  self.  For  I  know  noth- 
ing against  myself;  yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified; 

1  Or,    examined.  ^  Gr.,  day.  ^  Or,   examine. 


things  of  the  world,  life  in  all  its  divine  meaning  and  death  in 
all  its  gain,  the  present  and  the  future  with  all  their  possibilities 
for  the  Christian— all  these  are  yours,  i.e.,  they  exist  to  serve 
you;  but  you  belong  to  Christ  as  Christ  belongs  to  God,  is  His 
Son.  With  such  truth  does  Paul  seek  to  sweep  away  all  party 
spirit. 

1.  In  the  previous  chapter  Paul  has  set  forth  the  true  position 
of  the  Christian  ministry.  The  teachers  in  the  Corinthian  Church 
were  to  be  regarded  servants,  fellow-workers  of  God,  builders 
upon  God's  building.  He  now  considers  them  from  another  point 
of  view  as 

2.  Stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  The  ancient  steward 
(he  might  be  either  a  freed-man  or  slave)  was  the  one  to  whom 
the  head  of  the  house  intrusted  the  management  of  his  affairs. 
It  was  his  duty  among  other  things  to  deal  out  the  proper  por- 
tion to  every  servant  of  the  house  and  even  to  children  not  yet 
of  age.— Thayer.  The  Christian  teacher  was  thus  instructed 
with  the  revealed  truths  of  the  Gospel  which  he  was  to  give  to 
the  household  of  God.    The  one  test  of  such  service  was  fidelity. 

3.  It  is  a  very  small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged  of 
you.  The  test  being  fidelity,  who  can  apply  it?  Certainly  not 
the  Corinthians,  for  they  by  reason  of  their  very  party  spirit 
were  incompetent;  "I  judge  not  mine  own  self."  His  own 
conscience  was  incompetent  to  examine  the  matter  fully.  Even 
though  it  in  no  way  reproached  him,  that  would  not  be  the 
equivalent  of  saying  that  he  was  irreproachable. 

4.  There  is  only  one  competent  judge— the  Lord  Himself. 
Hence  we  are  to  wait  until  He  comes.     His  revelation  of  hidden 

39 


4:4         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

but  he  that  ^  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord.     Wherefore 

4.  judge  nothing  before  the  time  until  the  Lord  come 
who  will  both  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of 
darkness  and  make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the 
hearts;  and  then  shall  each  man  have  his  praise  from 
God. 

6.  Now  these  things  brethren  I  have  in  a  figure  trans- 
ferred to  myself  and  Apollos  for  your  sakes;  that  in 
us  ye  might  learn  not  to  go  beyond  the  things  which 
are  written;   that  no  one  of  you  be  puffed  up  for 

7.  the  one  against  the  other.  For  who  maketh  thee  to 
differ?  and  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  re- 
ceive? but  if  thou  didst  receive  it  why  dost  thou 
glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it?     Already  are 

^  Or,    examineth. 

acts  and  the  motives  of  the  heart  will  give  the  only  adequate 
basis  for  an  exact  judgment  of  fidelity. 

5.  Praise  from  God,  i.e.,  the  praise  which  he  really  merited. 
All  other  praise,  or  blame,  was  of  small  account. 

(6)  Personal  application  of  what  he  has  written  (3:5 — 4:5)  with 
an  earnest  rebuke  of  their  pride  (6-16). 

6.  In  a  figure  transferred  to  myself  and  Apollos.     What 

was  true  of  the  whole  class  of  teachers  is  illustrated  by  the  case 
of  Apollos  and  himself.  In  this  concrete  way  he  has  set  forth 
the  principles  regarding  the  ministry  which  he  wishes  them  to 
understand.  Not  to  go  beyond  the  things  which  are  writ- 
ten. As  this  clause  appears  in  the  Greek  it  is  equivalent  to  a 
quotation  "Not  beyond  the  things  that  are  written."  It  is  per- 
haps a  rabbinical  maxim  and  has  in  view  such  passages  as  1:19, 
31;  3:19-20.  A  proper  conception  of  man  as  given  in  the  Old 
Testament  would  save  them  from  such  pride  as  they  were 
exhibiting  in  this  or  that  teacher  to  the  disparagement  of  others. 

7.  For  who  maketh  thee  to  differ?  Nothing  but  the  man's 
own  imagination.  The  force  of  the  following  question  may  be 
brought  out  by  the  paraphrase:  Suppose  thou  hast  some  su- 
periority to  others?  "What  hast  thou  that  thou  dost  not  re- 
ceive?" Then  why  boast  as  if  what  thou  hast  which,  in  any 
way,  distinguishes  you  were  not  God's  gift?     The  "for"  intro- 

40 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         S'l 

8.  ye  filled,  already  ye  are  become  rich,  ye  have  reigned 
without  us:  yea  and  I  would  that  ye  did  reign  that 
we  also  might  reign  with  you.     For  I  think  God 

9.  hath  set  forth  us  the  Apostles  last  of  all,  as  men 
doomed  to  death:  for  we  are  made  a  spectacle  unto 
the  world  and  to  ^  angels  and  to  men.    We  are  fools 

10.  for  Christ's  sake,  but  ye  are  wise  in  Christ;  we 
are  weak,  but  ye  are  strong;  ye  have  glory,  but  we 

1 1 .  have  dishonor.  Even  unto  this  present  hour  we  both 
hunger,  and  thirst,  and  are  naked,  and  are  buffeted 
and  have  no  certain  dwelling  place;   and  we  toil, 

12.  working  with  our  hands:    being  reviled  we   bless; 

13.  being  persecuted,   we   endure;    being   defamed,   we 

^  Or,  both  to  angels  and  men. 

ducing   these   questions  makes  the   right  answers   to   them   show 
the  baselessness  of  party  pride. 

8.  The  contemplation  of  the  conceit  and  calamity  of  this  party- 
spirit  in  the  Church  so  stirs  the  heart  of  the  Apostle  that  he 
breaks  forth  into  an  apostrophe  full  of  irony  and  indignation 
(8-13).  Already  ye  are  filled.  In  their  pride  they  were  sat- 
isfied as  if  they  were  already  in  possession  of  the  blessings  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God.  "They  had  got  a  private  millennium  of 
their  own"  and  so  had  far  outstripped  the  Apostles.  They  were 
full,  rich,  and  on  thrones,  while  their  teachers  "were  doonied  to 
death"  and  made  a  spectacle  unto  the  world.  The  irony  in  the 
contrast  which  runs  through  the  whole  section  must  be  kept  in 
mind. 

9.  For,  I  think,  God  hath  set  forth  us  the  Apostles  last 
of  all,  as  men  doomed  to  death.  "For"  gives  the  reason  for 
the  wish  in  verse  8.  The  figure  is  suggested  by  the  experiences 
of  a  public  festival  whose  closing  hours  witnessed  the  exposure 
of  criminals  to  the  wild  beasts  in  the  arena.  Instead  of  "reign- 
ing" the  Apostles  were  in  their  sufferings  a  spectacle  to  both 
angels  and  men. 

10.  Fools  in  the  sense  that  they  preach  a  message  which  to 
the  world  is  foolishness;  weak— helpless  amid  hardship  and 
trials;  have  dishonor,— the  order  here  is  changed  that  verses 
11-13  may  be  brought  into  close  connection  with  this  adjective, 
whose  meaning  they  set  forth.  Want,  ill-treatment  and  con- 
tempt constitute  the  dishonor  which  the  Apostles  experience. 

41 


4:14       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

intreat:  we  are  made  as  ^  the  filth  of  the  world,  the 
offscouring  of  all  things,  even  until  now.     I  write 

14.  not  these  things  to  shame  you,  but  to  admonish  you 

15.  as  my  beloved  children.  For  though  ye  should  have 
ten  thousand  tutors  in  Christ,  yet  have  ye  not  many 
fathers:  for  in  Christ  Jesus  I  begat  you  through  the 

16.  Gospel.  I  beseech  you  therefore,  be  ye  imitators  of 
me. 

^  Or,   refuse. 

13.  Filth  of  the  world,  the  offscouring  of  all  things  (or, 
men).  The  words  "filth"  and  "offscouring"  have  reference  to 
that  which  has  been  "scraped  off"  or  "wiped  off"  from  any- 
thing in  making  it  clean, — hence  "scrapings,"  "refuse."  They 
were  both  used  to  describe  the  men  who  were  thrown  by  the 
Greeks  into  the  sea  as  a  propitiation  to  the  gods  in  the  time  of 
plague.  It  is  probably  in  the  former  sense  that  they  are  to  be 
taken  here.     They  express  the  climax  of  humiliation 

(7)  As  their  father  in  the  faith  he  appeals  to  them  to  follow  him. 
The  test  to  be  applied  when  he  comes,  4:14-21 

14.  With  verse  13  the  indignant  strain  has  spent  itself  and 
once  more  a  tone  of  tenderness  appears.  Plain  speaking  and 
strong  feeling  had  not  been  primarily  to  put  them  to  shame. 
That  it  might  well  do,  but  his  purpose  was  rather  to  give  them 
fatherly  admonition. 

15.  His  Pedagogues.  Pedagogues  were  trusted  slaves  who 
cared  for  the  children  of  the  household,  escorting  them  to  and 
from  school.  The  word  is  here  qualified  by  the  regimen  in 
Christ.  Though  many  might,  as  tutors  or  guardians  care  for 
them  in  the  Christian  life,  they  surely  could  not  have  many 
fathers.  They  had  only  one  Christian  father.  Paul  does  not 
use  the  word  father  here  but  it  is  implied  in  his  use  of  the  word 
"children"  and  its  justification  is  given  in  the  statement  "in 
Jesus  Christ  I  begat  you  through  the  Gospel."  Note  how 
the  words  "I  begat"  are  carefully  guarded  from  any  human 
assumptions  by  the  phrases  accompanying  them.  "Call  no  man 
your  father  on  the  earth,"  said  Jesus  (Matt.  23:9),  i.e.,  do  not 
use  the  term  "in  such  a  spirit  as  to  forget  Him  from  whom  all 
being  proceeds." 

16.  Be  ye  imitators  of  me  in  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice. 
The  right  of  his  appeal  was  in  his  fatherly  relation  to  them. 

42 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         i:5 

17.  For  this  cause  have  I  sent  unto  you  Timothy,  who 
is  my  beloved  and  faithful  child  in  the  Lord,  who 
shall  put  you  in  remembrance  of  my  ways  which  ^  be 
in   Christ,    even   as   I    teach   everywhere    in   every 

18.  church.    Now  some  are  puffed  up  as  though  I  were 

19.  not  coming  to  you.    But  I  will-  come  to  you  shortly 

20.  if  the  Lord  will;  and  I  will  know  not  the  word  of 

21.  them  which  are  puffed  up,  but  the  power.  For  the 
Kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word  but  in  power.  What 
will  ye?  Shall  I  come  unto  you  with  a  rod  or  in 
love  and  a  spirit  of  meekness? 

2.     The  Second  Matter  Needing  Censure — A    Case  of 
Incest  y  5:1-12 

5.  I.  It  is  actually  reported  that  there  is  fornication 
among  you  and  such  fornication  as  is  not  even 
among  the  Gentiles  that  one  of  you  hath  his  father's 

1  SV,  are. 

17.  Timothy.  It  was  to  help  them  to  the  right  course  that 
he  had  sent  "this  beloved  child"  to  them.  Timothy  at  the 
time  of  the  writing  of  the  letter  was  probably  in  Macedonia  and 
would  arrive  in  Corinth  later  than  the  letter  itself  (cf.  Acts 
19:22).     My  ways.     See  1:17,  2:1-5,  4:11-13,  9:15,  22,  27. 

18.  Now  some  are  puffed  up.  There  was  probably  some 
uncertainty  regarding  Paul's  coming  to  Corinth.  This  had  been 
doubtless  wrongly  construed  as  not  daring  to  come  and  had  led 
to  all  the  boastful  self-assertion  which  had  split  up  the  Church, 

19.  Not  the  word  .  .  .  but  the  power.  He  will  pay  little 
attention  to  their  fine  addresses  and  high-flown  pretensions,  but 
test  their  effectiveness  in  winning  men  to  a  true  Christian  life 
and  advancing  them  therein.  The  Kingdom  of  God  is  not  in 
abundance  of  clever  speech  but  in  spiritual  power. 

20.  Rod.  The  emblem  of  rebuke  and  discipline;  meekness, 
the  opposite  of  harshness,  i.  e.,  gentleness. 


(a)   The  offender  to  be  expelled,  5:1-8 

t   se 
tolei 

43 


I.  Fornication.     Any    illicit   sexual   intercourse.     A   specially 
revolting  kind  of  it  was  being  tolerated  in  the  Church,  viz.:  that 


5:2         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2 .  wife.  And  ^  ye  are  puffed  up  and  ^  did  not  rather 
mourn  that  he  that  had  done  this  deed  might  be 

3.  taken  away  from  among  you.  For  I  verily,  being 
absent  in  body  but  present  in  spirit,  have  already  as 

4.  though  I  were  present  judged  him  that  hath  so 
wrought  this  thing  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  ye 
being   gathered   together   and   my   spirit,   with   the 

^  Or,  are  ye  puffed  up?         ^  Qr,    did  ye  not  rather  mourn  .  .  .  youf 

of  a  man  having  as  his  wife  or  concubine  his  stepmother,  or,  as 
the  text  more  vividly  puts  it,  his  father's  wife.  Such  forni- 
cation as  is  not  even  among  the  Gentiles.  It  is  an  evidence 
of  the  low  moral  tone  in  Corinth  that  this  relationship  made 
no  stir  in  the  Church.  The  instances  that  may  be  cited  to  sup- 
port the  legitimacy  of  such  a  marriage  are  so  few  that  it  can 
be  said  that  virtually  the  sin  did  not  exist.  Roman  law  forbade 
it  as  did  also  Jewish  (Lev.  18:8).  From  the  passage  as  a  whole 
it  seems  correct  to  infer  that  the  woman  in  the  case  was  not  a 
Christian  since  all  proposals  of  discipline  are  directed  against 
the  man.  The  man's  action  may  be  one  of  those  instances  of 
the  false  conceptions  of  Christian  liberty  regarding  which  Paul 
had  more  than  once  to  warn  his  Gentile  converts.  Whatever  its 
ground,  its  flagrancy  was  pitiful.  All  the  more  so  since  the 
Church  was  "puffed  up,"  i.e.,  in  a  state  of  serene  satisfaction 
with  itself,  not  directly,  of  course,  in  view  of  this  one  matter, 
but  in  spite  of  it.  The  reasons  of  their  inflation  have  been  given 
in  the  preceding  chapters. 

2.  That  ...  he  might  be  taken  away.  The  conjunction 
sets  forth  the  contemplated  effect  of  the  mourning.  The  re- 
moval of  the  wrongdoer  would  be  the  result  of  the  sorrow  and 
shame  over  his  misdeed. 

3.  For,  I  verily.  Paul  sets  his  earnest  determination  to  act 
over  against  their  laxity.  Though  absent  he  was  with  them  in 
spirit  and  in  mind  and  as  though  present,  had  already  pronounced 
judgment. 

4.  5.  The  factors  and  nature  of  this  judgment.  The  best 
possible  arrangement  of  the  clauses  in  verse  four  is  that  which 
connects  the  first  one,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  with 
the  infinitive  "to  deliver"  (vs.  5)  and  the  others  with  "being 
gathered  together."  Three  factors  are  to  enter  into  the  grave 
pronouncement  of  judgment.  The  assembled  Church,  the  spirit 
of  the  Apostle  (his  unseen  but  directing  influence)  and  the  power 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     It  was  to  be  a  solemn  meeting  full 

44 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         5:6 

5.  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  to  deliver  such  a  one  unto 
Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh  that  the  spirit 
may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  ^  Jesus.    Your 

6.  glorying  is  not  good.  Know  ye  not  that  a  little 
leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump?    Purge  out  the  old 

7.  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump,  even  as  ye  are 
unleavened.    For  our  passover  also  hath  been  sacri- 

^  Some   ancient   authorities   omit  Jesus. 

of  instruction  and  warning  for  all  taking  part  in  it.  To  deliver 
such  a  one  unto  Satan.  The  clew  to  the  meaning  of  this  judg- 
ment is  in  its  purpose.  Clearly  the  man  was  not  given  up  to 
the  devil  in  order  that  all  the  enticing  or  propelling  forces  of 
sin  might  have  unhindered  play  upon  him.  That  were  not  the 
way  to  insure  the  saving  of  his  spirit.  It  is  rather  to  that 
physically  punitive  power  of  Satan  that  reference  is  here  made 
(cf.  Lk.  13:16).  Sickness  and  death  are  often  ascribed  to  him. 
Job's  experience  (chs.  i  and  4)  illustrates  what  is  meant.  The 
slow  progress  of  a  disease  issuing  in  death  was  to  show  this  man 
the  folly  of  his  sin  and  bring  him  to  repentance.  Satan,  work- 
ing in  a  way  congenial  to  him  in  that  he  brings  suffering,  is  yet 
an  instrument  in  God's  hands  to  the  accomplishment  of  the 
divine  Will.  The  Greeks  were  not  strangers  to  an  analogous 
custom  according  to  which  a  person  having  been  wronged  and 
without  means  for  retaliation  "consigned  the  criminal  to  a  god 
and  left  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted  by  divine  power." — 
Ramsay,  Hist.  Com.  on  Corinthians. 

6.  "A  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump."  The  "little 
leaven"  can  hardly  be  the  sin  which  has  been  so  solemnly 
judged.  It  is  rather  that  "inclination  to  fornication"  which  had 
made  the  Church  indifferent  through  a  vitiation  of  public  opin- 
ion.   In  view  of  this  all  boasting  was  indeed  unseemly. 

7.  Purge  out  therefore  the  old  leaven.  The  word  "old" 
confirms  the  above  interpretation.  They  were  to  go  further 
than  removing  the  sinful  man  from  the  Church.  It  must  be 
cleansed  from  all  trace  of  this  evil  propensity.  The  Jews  were 
accustomed  on  the  eve  of  the  first  and  great  day  of  the  Passover 
to  remove  every  particle  of  leavened  bread  from  their  houses; 
hence  the  figure.  A  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.  A  new 
lump  signifies  a  mass  of  dough  freshly  kneaded  with  sweet 
water  instead  of  leaven.  Such  bread  was  used  during  the  Pass- 
over.    The  Church  was  to  make  a  fresh  start  unmixed  with  sin. 

45 


5:8        EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

8.  ficed  even  Christ:  wherefore  let  us  ^  keep  the  feast, 
not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice 
and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of 
sincerity  and  truth. 

9.  I  wrote  unto  you  in  my  epistle  to  have  no  company 

10.  with  fornicators;  ^  not  altogether  with  the  forni- 
cators of  this  world,  or  with  the  covetous  and  extor- 
tioners, or  with  idolaters;   for  then  must  ye  needs 

11.  go  out  of  the  world :  but  ^  now  I  write  unto  you 

^  Gr.,  keep  festival.  ^  SV,  not  at  all  meaning. 

^  SV,  as  it  is,  I  wrote. 

Ideally  it  was  "unleavened"  (cf,  Jn.  15:3) ;  let  it  become  so 
in  fact. 

8.  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.    An 

extension  of  the  figure  of  the  leaven  to  confirm  what  has  been 
said.  After  the  Jews  had  eaten  the  passover  they  were  to 
abstain  from  all  leavened  bread  for  seven  days.  Christ  is  our 
passover.  He  is  the  lamb  slain  for  us.  We  are,  therefore,  to 
keep,  not  a  seven-days'  festival,  but  perpetual  festival  of  a  new 
life  from  which  the  leaven  of  wickedness  and  wrongdoing  have 
been  put  away  and  in  which  are  manifest  "the  unleavened  bread" 
of  transparency  and  truth. 

(b)   Explanation  of  a  former  command  relating  to 
fornicators,  9-13. 

9.  I  wrote  unto  you  in  my  epistle.  In  a  previous  letter, 
now  lost  (some  find  a  part  of  it  in  2  Cor.  6:14-7:1)  Paul  had  told 
them  not  to  associate  with  immoral  people.  In  some  way  this  had 
been  misunderstood.  With  the  case  of  discipline  just  considered 
in  point  Paul  explains  his  statement. 

10.  Not  altogether.  (I  did)  not  at  all  mean  that  you  were 
not  to  associate  with  immoral  people  of  the  world,  i.e.,  with 
fornicators,  with  the  covetous  and  extortionate,  and  with 
idolaters  outside  the  church.  Since  the  streets  of  Corinth  were 
full  of  them  it  would  virtually  mean  going  out  of  the  world.  It 
would  put  a  stop  to  all  the  business  of  life  and,  what  is  of  more 
importance,  prevent  all  contact  of  Christian  hfe  with  society, 

11.  But  now  I  write.  The  marginal  reading  "but,  as  it  is, 
I  wrote"  is  preferable  for  it  is  not  likely  that  the  two  past  tenses 
(vs.  9  and  vs.  11)  are  to  be  taken,  one  as  a  past,  the  other  as  a 
present.     Now  is  logical  and  means  "now  you  understand,"  "as 

46 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        6:2 


not  to  keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  named  a 
brother  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater, 

12.  or  a  reviler,  or  a  drunkard  or  an  extortioner;  with 
such  a  one  no,  not  to  eat.  For  what  have  I  to  do 
with  judging  them  that  are  without?     Do  not  ye 

13.  judge  them  that  are  within,  '  whereas  them  that  are 
without  God  judgeth?  Put  away  the  wicked  man 
from  among  yourselves. 

3.  The  Third  Matter  for  Censure— Their  Litigious  Spirit, 
6:1-11 

6.    I.  Dare  any  of  you,  having  a  matter  against  ^  his 

neighbor  go  to  law  before  the  unrighteous,  and  not 

2.    before  the  saints?     Or  know  ye  not  that  the  saints 

•  Gr.,  the  other.  '  SV,  but ^^^ 

it  is."  I  meant,  when  I  wrote,  this:  if  a  brother,  so  named,  be 
immoral  you  are  not  to  associate  with  him;  no  not  to  eat  with 
him.     You  are  not  to  share  his  hospitaUty;  nor  he  yours. 

12.  For  gives  the  reason  why  they  should  never  have  supposed 
he  was  referring  to  the  immorality  of  the  world.  God  is  the 
world's  judge.  Our  jurisdiction  is  within  the  church,  as  your 
own  practice  has  shown.  There  is  only  one  thing  to  do,  "Cast 
out  the  evil  one." 

1.  Twice  in  the  previous  chapter  Paul  has  joined  the  forni- 
cator and  the  covetous  man  (5:10,  11);  also  he  asked  if  the 
sphere  of  judgment  for  Christians  was  not  within  the  Church 
(5:12).  Both  points  were  suggestive  of  the  matter  which  he  is 
now  to  consider.  The  Greeks  were  great  sticklers  for  their 
rights.  This  led  them  into  frequent  disputes  for  the  settlement 
of  which  they  had  made  appeal  to  those  outside  of  the  Church. 

Dare.  In  view  of  the  majesty  of  the  Church,  the  seal  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  unrighteous.  The  word  is  really  the  equiva- 
lent of  "unbelievers."  It  is  not  to  be  pushed  so  far  as  to  imply 
that  "outsiders"  could  not  give  justice.  The  "cases"  brought  to 
judgment  were  not  serious  crimes  but  in  all  probability,  com- 
monplace matters  which  had  been  magnified  by  their  quarrel- 
some spirit.  It  was  the  unchristian  spirit,  the  utter  lack  of 
brotherly  love  which  was  the  serious  defect. 

2.  Know  ye  not.  Paul  is  appealing  to  an  expectation  fa- 
miliar to  the  Jews  and  one  which  Paul  had  taught  the  Corin- 

47 


6:3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

shall  judge  the  world?     And  if  the  world  is  judged 
by  you  are  ye  unworthy  ^  to   judge   the  smallest 

3.  matters?     Know  ye  not  that  we  shall  judge  angels? 

4.  How  much  more  things  that  pertain  to  this  life?  If 
then  ye  have  ^  to  judge  things  pertaining  to  this  life, 
^  do  ye  set  them  to  judge  who  are  of  no  account  in 

5.  the  church?  I  say  this  to  move  you  to  shame.  *  Is 
it  so,  that  there  cannot  be  jound  among  you  one 
wise  man,  who  shall  be  able  to  decide  between  his 

6.  brethren,  but  brother  goeth  to  law  with  brother  and 

7.  that  before  unbelievers?     Nay,  already  it  is  alto- 

^  Gr.,    of  the  smallest   tribunals.       ^  Gr.,   tribunals  pertaining   to. 
^  Or,  set  them  .  .  .  church.  *  SV,  what,  cannot  there  be,  etc. 

thians  but  which  they  had  apparently  lost  sight  of,  viz.:  that 
the  saints  were  ultimately  to  judge  the  world,  for  they  were, 
with  the  Messiah,  to  rule  the  nations  at  the  Messiah's  coming 
(see  Dan.  7:22;  Wis.  3:8).  Jesus  had  promised  this  to  the 
apostles  (Matt.  19:28;  Lk.  22:30)  and  the  promise  had  been 
widened.  It  is  part  of  the  office  of  a  ruler  to  judge  and,  in  shar- 
ing with  Christ  his  final  glory,  his  followers  shall  share  in  the 
judgment  of  the  world.  The  argument  is  from  the  greater  to  the 
less.  If  as  saints  you  are  to  have  such  an  exalted  prerogative, 
"are  you  incompetent  to   adjudicate  upon  trifles?" 

3.  That  you  shall  judge  angels?  This  question  carries  the 
previous  argument  a  step  further  and  heightens  the  contrast 
between  their  future  position  and  their  present  dereliction.  If 
they  are  to  judge  such  exalted  beings  as  angels,  it  would  follow, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  that  they  could  decide  upon  matters  per- 
taining to  ordinary  life.  Though  angels  are  not  characterized  as 
good  or  bad,  the  implication  is  of  bad  angels. 

4.  If  then  they  were  to  have  courts  for  such  matters  it  were 
better  for  them  to  set  up  as  judges  those  who  were  of  no  account 
among  them  than  to  go  to  heathen  judges.  The  least  esteemed 
would  be  competent  to  settle  such  insignificant  matters. 

5.  I  say  this  to  move  you  to  shame.  His  sarcastic  words 
are  to  shame  them.  He  turns  to  ask  them  seriously  if  no  wise 
man  can  be  found  among  them  to  arbitrate  their  disputes. 

6.  But.  The  sharp  contrast  introduced  is  practically  their  own 
answer  to  the  question  of  verse  5.  In  their  lack  of  wisdom  they 
quarrel,  hurry  to  litigation,  and  worst  of  all,  before  unbelievers. 

7.  Paul  now  turns  to  the  cause  of  the  whole  trouble.     Nay, 

48 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       6:ii 

gether  ^  a  defect  in  you  that  ye  have  lawsuits  one 
with  another.     Why  not  rather  take  wrong?     Why 

8.  not  rather  be  defrauded?  Nay,  but  ye  yourselves 
do  wrong,  and  defraud,  and  that  your  brethren.    Or 

9.  know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit 
the  Kingdom  of  God?  Be  not  deceived:  neither 
fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  ef- 
feminate, nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  men,  nor 

10.  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers, 
nor  extortioners  shall  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

11.  And  such  were  some  of  you:  but  ye  ^  were  washed, 
but  ye  were  sanctified,  but  ye  were  justified  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Spirit 
of  our  God. 

^  Or,  c  loss  to  you.  ^  Or,  washed  yourselves. 

already  it  is  altogether  a  defect.  Leaving  aside,  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  question  of  the  judges,  he  seems  to  mean  it  is,  under 
any  circumstances,  a  spiritual  defect  that  you  have  lawsuits  with 
one  another.  They  reveal,  at  bottom,  a  lack  of  genuine  Christian 
spirit,  or,  it  may  be,  a  defect  of  that  spirit  by  quarrelsome  ten- 
dencies.    They  might  better  suffer  wrong  and  even  deprivation. 

8-10.  Nay,  ye  do  wrong  and  defraud.  On  the  contrary, 
they  were  inflicting  wrong  and  that,  too,  upon  brethren,  for- 
getting that  by  such  conduct  they  were  identifying  themselves 
with  wrongdoers  who  shall  not  inherit  God's  Kingdom. 
Neither  fornicators — nor  thieves.  It  will  be  noted  that  this 
enumeration  of  sinners  is  made  with  pointed  reference  to  the 
prevailing  evils  of  Corinth — uncleanness  and  greed. 

II.  Ye  were  washed — sanctified — justified.  The  first  verb 
refers  to  baptism  which  symbolized  the  fact  that  the  Corinthians 
had  voluntarily  turned  their  backs  upon  the  sins  first  men- 
tioned and  had  by  God's  grace  been  "set  apart"  (sanctified)  and 
declared  to  be  in  right  relation  to  Him  (justified).  The  two 
verbs  sanctified  and  justified  refer  to  the  same  gracious  act  of 
God.  In  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  clause 
belongs  to  all  three  verbs.  "Baptism  in  the  name  carries  with  it 
an  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  as  Lord  and  Messiah;  in  the 
Spirit,  recognition  of  the  power  which  effectuates  a  separated  and 
holy  life. 

49 


6:i2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


4.  The  Fourth  Matter  for  Censure — Impurity,  6:12-20 

12.  All  things  are  lawful  for  me;  but  not  all  things  are 
expedient.  All  things  are  lawful  for  me;  but  I  will 
not  be  brought  under  the  power  of  any.  Meats  for  the 

13.  belly  and  the  belly  for  meats;  but  God  shall  bring  to 
naught  both  it  and  them.  But  the  body  is  not  for 
fornication,  but  for  the  Lord;  and  the  Lord  for  the 

14.  body;  and  God  both  raised  the  Lord  and  will  raise 

12.  All  things  are  lawful  to  me,  i.e.,  all  things  that  are  not 
in  themselves  wrong.  But,  in  reference  to  this  wide  range  of 
things,  morally  indifferent,  two  limitations  are  to  be  noted  (a) 
when  the  doing  of  them  may  have  an  ill  effect  upon  others.  One 
must  at  times  abridge  his  own  liberty  when  it  is  not  expedient 
or  advantageous  for  others  and  {b)  when  the  doing  of  them 
weakens  the  power  of  self-control.  Whatever  gains  the  mastery 
over  a  man,  even  though  in  itself  it  be  not  wrong,  becomes 
unlawful  in  so  far  as  it  masters  him.  The  misuse  of  Christian 
freedom  was  easily  possible  in  Corinth.  Pagan  society  had 
accepted  fully  the  doctrine  that  every  requirement  of  the  body 
was  natural  and  right  and  ought  to  be  satisfied.  Sexual  appe- 
tite was  on  the  same  level  with  appetite  for  food.  It  was  to 
cover  just  this  view  that  the  Corinthians  probably  used  the 
maxim  "all  things  are  lawful."  Paul  now  seeks  to  show  how 
fundamentally  different  these  appetites  are  when  morally  con- 
sidered. 

13.  Meats  for  the  belly.  Food  is,  indeed,  meant  to  satisfy 
the  needs  of  the  stomach,  but,  in  two  significant  particulars  the 
body  and  fornication  differ  from  the  stomach  and  food,  (i) 
The  latter  belong  to  an  order  that  passes  away.  God  shall 
bring  to  naught  both  it  and  them.  "Flesh  and  blood  shall 
not  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God."  Physical  upbuilding  through 
material  food  ends  with  man's  earthly  career.  The  body,  how- 
ever, raised  and  glorified,  is  to  abide  forever.  (2)  The  body  is 
for  the  Lord  and  not  for  the  gratification  of  sexual  appetite.  It 
is  meant  to  be  the  instrument  through  which  the  will  of  the 
Lord  is  executed.  As  thus  the  Christian  is  to  serve  the  Lord 
through  the  body  so  the  Lord  is  to  redeem  the  body.  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  body  are  reciprocally  for  each  other. 

14.  And  God  both  raised  the  Lord  and  will  raise  us  up 
through  His  power.  Jesus  in  his  resurrection  set  forth  the 
resurrection    of    the    whole    man — soul    and   body.      Hence   Paul 

50 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      6:i8 

15.  up  us  through  His  power.  Know  ye  not  that  your 
bodies  are  members  of  Christ?  Shall  I  then  take 
away  the  members  of  Christ  and  make  them  mem- 

16.  bers  of  a  harlot?  God  forbid.  Or  know  ye  not  that 
he  that  is  joined  to  a  harlot  is  one  body?     for,  The 

17.  twain,  saith  He,  shall  become  one  flesh.  But  he 
that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord  is  one  spirit.     Flee 

18.  fornication.  Every  sin  that  a  man  doeth  is  without 
the  body;  but  he  that  committeth  fornication  sin- 
says  "us"  instead  of  "our  bodies."  Christ  is  the  "first  fruits"  of 
the  resurrection  in  which  God  shall  ultimately  include  all  who 
believe.  Verse  14  is  not  parallel  to  13b,  but  antithetic.  In  one 
case  God  destroys;  in  the  other  He  raises  up.  All  through  Paul 
is  using  the  word  "body"  with  emphasis  upon  the  fact  that  it  is 
a  part  of  man's  personality.  Here  it  is  material;  there  it  shall 
be  spiritual. 

15.  Members  of  Christ.  As  Christ  dwells  within  the  be- 
liever his  bodily  members  are  virtually  members  of  Christ.  The 
infamy  of  the  sin  of  fornication  is  that  it  robs  Christ  of  his 
members  and  then  debases  them  by  "making  them  members  of 
a  harlot." 

16.  This  is  a  corroboration  of  the  last  statement  of  verse  15. 
Carnal  connection  with  a  harlot  makes  the  two  one  body,  for,  as 
God  says,  "the  twain  shall  be  one  flesh"  (Gen.  2:14).  These 
words  referred  originally  to  marriage.  They  imply  that  in  carnal 
connection  is  established  a  oneness  which  was  meant  to  be  as 
sacred  as  it  was  profound.  Fornication  in  a  sinful  way  brings 
about  this  mysterious  oneness. 

17.  One  Spirit.  Faith  brings  about  a  "oneness"  with  Christ 
that  is  spiritual.  How  antagonistic  are  these  two  conditionsr— 
"oneness  with  a  harlot"  and  oneness  with  Christ,  is  fully  evident. 
There  is  consequently  only  one  thing  to  do  and  that  is  to  "flee 
fornication." 

18.  The  clew  to  the  interpretation  of  this  difficult  verse  lies 
in  the  declaration  "shall  become  one  flesh"  (vs.  16).  The  excep- 
tional character  of  fornication  is  that  it  at  once  robs  Christ  of 
the  body  which  belongs  to  Him  and  joins  it  to  a  harlot.  The 
contrast  between  "without  the  body"  and  "against  his  own 
body"  is  not  to  be  pressed  too  far.  In  5:11  the  apostle  enume- 
rates other  sins  that  will  shut  out  men  from  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  Fornication  acts  more  directly  and  swiftly — "It  is  a  fear- 
ful and  radical  contradiction  of  the  idea  of  Christian  personality." 

51 


6i:9       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

19.  neth  against  his  own  body.  Or  know  ye  not  that 
your  body  is  a  ^  temple  of  the  ^  Holy  Ghost  which 
is  in  you  which  ye  have  from  God?    And  ye  are  not 

20.  your  own;  for  ye  were  bought  with  a  price;  glorify 
God  therefore  in  your  body. 

^  Or,  sanctuary.  *  SV,   Holy  Spirit. 

"It  is  a  contradiction  of  the  truth  of  the  body  wronght  within 
itself."— Alford. 

19.  Temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  they  could  not  feel  the 
force  of  what  he  had  just  wiitten,  then  let  them  remember  that 
the  body  is  the  shrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Fornication  is  profa- 
nation, desecration. 

20.  Bought  with  a  price.  A  third  reason  why  they  should 
flee  fornication.  They  were  really  not  the  owners  of  themselves 
— soul  or  body — for  they  had  been  bought  with  a  price,  even  the 
life-blood  of  Jesus. 

20.  Therefore.  Rather  "be  sure"  to  glorify  God  in  your 
body  by  chastity  and  all  other  ways.  The  whole  section  lays 
weighty  emphasis  upon  the  dignity  of  the  human  body. 


52 


7:2 


II.  Questions  Regarding  Marriage  and  the  Chris- 
tian's Relation  to  Idol  Sacrifices  and 
Feasts,  7:1 — ii:i. 

I.  Questions  regarding  Marriage,  7:1-40 

7.        I.  Now  concerning  the  things  whereof  ye  wrote:  It 
2.    is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch  a  woman.     But,  be- 
cause of  fornications,  let  each  man  have  his  own 


a.    Marriage  or  celibacy?  7:1-9 

I.  Now  concerning  the  things  whereof  ye  wrote.     With 

this  chapter  Paul  begins  to  deal  with  the  questions  put  to  him 
by  the  letter  from  the  Corinthians.  His  answers  are  shaped  by  the 
conditions  and  needs  of  the  Corinthian  church.  Some  in  the 
church  were  altogether  opposed  to  marriage  while  others  who 
were  married  wished  to  ignore  all  sexual  relations  pertainmg 
thereto.  The  former  may  have  defended  their  position  by  the 
belief  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  was  for  those  who  did  not  marry 
but  were  "as  the  angels  in  heaven"  (Lk.  20:34).  The  latter 
regarded  sexual  relations  as  incompatible  with  a  strict  sense  of 
holiness.  These  and  other  perplexities  existing  in  the  church 
rnust  be  borne  in  mind  for  they  explain  why  the  view  of  mar- 
riage set  forth  is  not  as  exalted  as  that  found  in  the  fifth  chapter 
of  Ephesians— It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch  a  woman. 
Note  that  this  is  not  a  comparative  statement.  Celibacy  is  good, 
honorable,  if  a  man  can  maintain  it  in  purity.  It  would  appear 
from  the  form  and  directness  of  the  assertion  that  in  the  letter 
from  the  Corinthians  this  had  been  denied.  Marriage  they  thought 
must  be  universal  in  order  to  reform  society.  It  is  against  this 
sweeping  panacea  with  its  implied  condemnation  of  a  pure  single 
hfe  that  Paul  thus  defends  celibacy. 

2.  Nevertheless.  However  good  a  single  life  might  be,  the 
temptations  of  such  a  city  as  Corinth  made  safeguards  neces- 
sary and,  therefore,  let  each  man  have  his  own  wife,  etc. 
Two  things  are  to  be  noted  in  this  direction,  (a)  the  words  his 
own  forbid  polygamy  and  {b)  that  the  woman  is  to  be  as  care- 

53 


7:3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

wife,  and  let  each  woman  have  her  own  husband. 

3.  Let  the  husband  render  unto  the  wife  her  due;  and 

4.  Hkewise  also  the  wife  unto  the  husband.  The  wife 
hath  not  power  over  her  own  body,  but  the  husband : 
and  likewise  also  the  husband  hath  not  power  over 

5.  his  own  body  but  the  wife.  Defraud  ye  not  one 
the  other,  except  it  be  by  consent  for  a  season,  that 
ye  may  give  yourselves  unto  prayer,  and  may  be 
together  again,  that  Satan  tempt  you  not  because 

6.  of  your  incontinency.  But  this  I  say  by  way  of 
permission,  not  of  commandment.     ^  Yet  I  would 

7.  that  all  men  were  even  as  I  myself.  Howbeit  each 
man  hath  his  own  gift  from  God,  one  after  this  man- 
ner, and  another  after  that.    But  I  say  to  the  unmar- 

^  Many   ancient    authorities   read    jor. 

ful  as  the  man.  The  recommendation  of  marriage  as  a  means 
of  avoiding  fornication  has  been  criticized  as  unworthy,  but  it  is 
to  be  remembered,  as  said  above,  that  it  was  made  in  view  of 
the  needs  of  Corinth. 

3-5.  But  there  was  more  needed  than  simply  marriage;  there 
must  be  recognition  of  the  rights  of  each  in  marriage.  They 
must  not  hve  like  celibates.  Each  has  rights  in  regard  to  the 
other.  Marital  intercourse  is  due  on  the  part  of  each  and  only 
by  common  consent  should  they  refrain  from  it  for  a  time  in 
the  interest  of  higher  things.  Prolonged  restraint,  or  refusal  of 
one's  right  in  the  matter  would  simply  open  the  way  for  the 
temptation  of  Satan.  This  is  the  substance  of  the  teaching  of 
these  verses.  "It  defends  marital  intercourse  against  rigorists,  as 
verse   i  commends  celibacy  against  sensualists." 

6.  This  I  say.  "This"  covers  not  simply  some  single  clause 
in  verse  5  but  all  that  is  said  in  2-5. 

By  permission,  i.e.,  in  the  way  of  concession  to  the  gen- 
eral circumstances  in  Corinth.  It  was  personal  advice,  rather 
than  a  divine  command. 

7.  Yet  I  would,  etc.  While  he  urges  marriage  in  view  of  the 
temptations  of  a  licentious  city,  he  would,  rather,  that  men,  if 
they  have  the  gift  of  continence,  should  be  as  he  was,  i.e., 
unmarried.  But  men  differ  in  this  regard.  Each  man  is  dif- 
ferently constituted;  one  can  be  continent,  the  other  not.  No 
absolute  rule,  therefore,  can  be  laid  down. 

54 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7:13 


ried  and  to  widows,  it  is  good  for  them  if  they  abide 
even  as  I.  But  if  they  have  not  continency,  let  them 
marry:  for  it  is  better  to  marry  than  to  burn. 

10.  But  unto  the  married  I  give  charge,  yea  not  I, 
but  the  Lord,  That  the  wife  depart  not  from  her 

11.  husband  (but  and  if  she  depart  let  her  remain  un- 
married, or  else  be  reconciled  to  her  husband);  and 
that  the  husband  leave  not  his  wife. 

12.  But  to  the  rest  say  I,  not  the  Lord:  If  any  brother 
hath   an   unbelieving  wife,   and  she   is   content   to 

13.  dwell  with  him,  let  him  not  leave  her.  And  the 
woman  which  hath  an  unbelieving  husband  and  he 
is  content  to  dwell  with  her,  let  her  not  leave  her 


8-9.  To  the  unmarried  and  widows.  Bachelors  and 
widows.  If  they  have  not  the  power  of  self-control,  it  is  wiser 
for  these  to  marry  than  to  be  compelled  to  fight  the  fire  of 
inward  lust.     Young  unmarried  girls  are  considered  later. 

b.    Shall  those  wha  are   married  separate?   7:10-16 

10.  Not  I,  but  the  Lord.  The  command  of  the  Lord  is 
given  in  Mk.  10:9;  Lk.  16:18.  The  distinction  here  made  is  not 
between  private  views  of  the  apostle  and  inspired  utterances. 
Paul  claimed  the  authority  of  the  Spirit  for  his  own  directions 
to  this  church.  In  this  matter  he  has  an  express  command  of 
Christ  and  that  is  authoritative  everywhere  in  the  church.  The 
wife  depart  not.  The  woman  is  mentioned  first  because  she 
would  be  the  more  likely,  perhaps,  through  ill-treatment  or 
aversion  to  marital  relations  to  seek  separation.  Separation, 
however,  was  all  she  had  a  right  to;  if  she  could  not  be  satisfied 
with  that,  she  must  be  reconciled  to  her  husband.  She  must  not 
marry  again.  It  is  probable  that  "Paul  is  here  considering  sepa- 
rations which  have  a  less  serious  ground  than  that  of  adultery." 

12-13.  But  to  the  rest.  With  this  verse  he  turns  to  the  cases 
of  mixed  marriages  in  which  one  of  the  parties  had  become  a 
Christian  after  marriage  and  the  other  not.  For  these  he  had 
no  express  command  from  his  Master.  He  writes,  however, 
under  the  conviction  that  he  is  guided  by  the  Spirit  (see  vs. 
40).  The  substance  of  his  teaching  is  that  if  the  unbelieving 
wife  or  the  unbelieving  husband  is  content  to  abide  in  the  mar- 

55 


7:14       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

14.  husband.  For  the  unbelieving  husband  is  sancti- 
fied in  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sancti- 
fied in  the  brother:  else  were  your  children  unclean; 

15.  but  now  are  they  holy.  Yet  if  the  unbelieving  de- 
parteth,  let  him  depart:  the  brother  or  the  sister  is 
not  under  bondage  in   such  cases:    but   God   hath 

16.  called  ^  us  in  peace.  For  how  knowest  thou,  O  wife, 
whether  thou  shalt  save  thy  husband?  or  how 
knowest  thou,  O  husband,  whether  thou  shalt  save 
thy  wife? 

^  Many   ancient  authorities  read  you. 

riage   relation  with   the   one   who   has  become   a    Christian,    the 
Christian  should  not  seek  separation. 

14.  For  the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  in  the 
wife.  The  word  "sanctified"  does  not  of  course  refer  to  per- 
sonal holiness.  That  cannot  be  conferred.  The  conception  is 
that  the  faith  which  in  conversion  "sets  apart"  or  "conse- 
crates" the  husband  or  wife  gives  to  the  other  a  sort  of  holy 
status.  "He  (or  she)  stands  upon  the  threshold  of  the  church: 
his  (or  her)  surroundings  are  hallowed."  "United  to  a  saintly 
consort  he  (or  she)  is  in  daily  contact  with  saintly  conduct: 
holy  association  may  become  holy  assimilation  and  the  sanctity 
which  ever  environs  may  at  last  penetrate." — Evans. 

Else  were  your  children  unclean;  but  now  are  they  holy. 
This  is  meant  to  confirm  the  statement  that  the  unbelieving 
spouse  is  consecrated  in  the  one  who  believes.  In  a  Christian 
mother's  or  father's  thought  a  child  is  a  gift  of  God  and  de- 
voted to  Him.  It  is  a  holy  thing.  The  "consecration"  which 
thus  enfolds  within  itself  the  offspring  of  marriage  extends  also 
to  an  unbelieving  husband  or  wife.  The  solidarity  of  the  family 
sanctifies  the  bond  between  parent  and  child;  husband  and  wife. 
This  fact  should  stand  in  the  way  of  seeking  separation.  The 
verse  gives  no  secure  help  toward  the  setthng  of  the  question 
of  infant  baptism. 

15.  Peace.  A  Christian  is  not  to  seek  separation  from  an 
unbehever,  simply  because  he  is  an  unbeliever.  If,  however,  the 
unbeliever  insists  upon  separation  he  is  to  be  allowed  to  depart. 
Marriage  is  not  to  be  a  form  of  slavery.  Life  in  such  conditions 
will  sadly  interfere  with  Christian  peace. 

16.  For  how  knowest  thou,  etc.  A  reason  for  allowing  the 
unbelieving    spouse    to    depart    if    separation    is    insisted    upon. 

56 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7:21 

17.  Only  as  the  Lord  hath  distributed  to  each  man, 
as  God  hath  called  each,  so  let  him  walk.     And  so 

18.  ordain  I  in  all  the  churches.  Was  any  man  called 
being  circumcised?  Let  him  not  become  uncircum- 
cised. 

19.  Circumcision    is    nothing   and    uncircumcision    is 

20.  nothing;  but  the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of 
God.    Let  each  man  abide  in  that  calling  wherein  he 

21.  was  called.  Wast  thou  called  being  a  bond  servant? 
care  not  for  it :  ^  but  if  thou  canst  become  free,  use 

'  Or,   nay,   even  if. 

Peace   is   not   to   be  imperiled   by   the   uncertain   hope   that   the 
unbeliever  may  be  won  to  faith. 

c.    The  Christian  life  and  one's  earthly  station,  7:17-24 

17.  This  verse  is  both  a  summary  of  what  immediately  pre- 
cedes it  and  a  preface  to  what  follows.  It  gives  the  general 
principle,  "it  is  best  for  each  man  to  abide  in  the  condition  in 
which  the  divine  call  came  to  him"  and  applies  this  principle  to 
circumcision  and   slavery. 

18-20.  Was  any  man  called  being  circumcised?  The  dis- 
tinction between  Jew  and  Gentile  was  not  to  be  effaced.  Rene- 
gade Jews  had  at  times  in  order  to  avoid  ridicule  attempted 
this  effacement  by  means  of  a  surgical  operation  (i  Mace.  1:15; 
Josef.  Ant.  xii:5,  i;  Celsus  vii:2S,  5).  No  more  was  a  Gen- 
tile to  be  circumcised  (see  Acts  15:1,  S,  19).  Christianity  being 
essentially  a  spiritual  matter,  circumcision  or  uncircumcision  were 
comparatively  of  no  importance  (see  Gal.  5:6;  6:15).  The 
essential  thing  is  to  "keep  the  commandments  of  God."  Calling 
(vs.  20)  signifies  not  "vocation"  but  "condition  of  life"  which 
is  part  of  the  divine  act  of  calling  in  that  it  may  be  the  occa- 
sion of  it  and  determine  the  manner  of  it. 

21.  The  new  dignity  given  to  life  in  becoming  Christians  un- 
doubtedly brought  to  those  in  slavery  added  restlessness  and  dis- 
content. Was  the  principle  of  abiding  in  that  condition  of  life 
in  which  the  call  came  to  be  applied  here?  Yes,  a  slave  could 
be  a  worthy  Christian.  But  if  thou  canst  become  free  use  it 
rather.  The  critical  question  in  the  interpretation  of  this  clause 
is  the  reference  of  "it"  in  "use  it  rather."  Does  it  stand  for 
"freedom"  or  "slavery"?     If  a  slave  can  be  free,  is  he  to  take 

57 


7:22       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

22.  it  rather.  For  he  that  was  called  in  the  Lord,  being 
a  bond  servant,  is  the  Lord's  freedman:  likewise  he 
that  was  called,  being  free,  is  Christ's  bond  servant. 

23.  Ye  were  bought  with  a  price;   become  not  bond 

24.  servants  of  men.  Brethren,  let  each  man,  wherein 
he  was  called,  therein  abide  with  God. 

25.  Now  concerning  virgins  I  have  no  commandment 
of  the  Lord:  but  I  give  my  judgment,  as  one  that 
hath  obtained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful.    I 

freedom,  or  is  he  to  remain  a  slave?  Regarding  the  interpreta- 
tion of  ,this  clause  Dean  Stanley  says  that  "it  is  one  of  the  most 
evenly  balanced  questions  in  the  New  Testament."  It  seems 
best,  therefore,  to  give  the  two  interpretations  and  leave  the 
reader  to  choose,  (i)  Use  it,  i.e.,  slavery.  Remain  a  slave  and 
honor  Christ  in  the  condition  of  slavery.  Even  though  a  slave, 
you  are  the  Lord's  freeman.  This  interpretation  accords  with  the 
principle  "abide  in  that  calling  wherein  he  was  called"  and 
seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  first  clause  of  verse  22.  (2)  Use 
it,  i.e.,  freedom.  By  this  interpretation  the  clause  "but  if  also 
— rather"  is  made  parenthetic.  The  adversative  "but"  is  strong 
and  the  verb  "use"  is  more  naturally  employed  in  reference  to 
a  new  opportunity  than  of  a  continuing  state.  Furthermore  it 
would  be  more  consistent  with  Paul's  mind  to  recommend  "free- 
dom" if  it  were  legitimately  possible.     See  Epistle  of  Philemon. 

22.  Inasmuch  as  the  new  relation  to  Christ  frees  a  man  from 
the  bondage  of  sin  his  condition  in  life,  whether  a  slave  or  a 
freeman,  can  be  maintained  without  harm.  In  either  case  he 
obeys  a  Master  whose  service  is  spiritual  freedom. 

23.  Become  not  bond  servants  of  men.  The  words  are 
addressed  to  the  whole  Church.  Bought,  as  all  have  been,  with 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  they  are  not  to  allow  evil  advisers  or  public 
opinion  to  bring  them  into  any  kind  of  bondage  to  men, 

d.    Regarding  the  Marriage  af  Virgins,  7:25-40 

25.  Paul  now  turns  to  consider  the  third  question  about  which 
the  Corinthians  had  asked  advice,  viz.:  what  to  do  in  the  case 
of  girls  who  were  still  at  home  under  the  care  of  father  or 
guardian.  Before  treating  specifically  of  this  matter  he  lays 
down  a  general  principle  in  view  of  the  "present  distress"  and 
of  the  belief  that  "the  time  is  shortened." 

I  give  my  judgment.    As  one  "worthy  of  trust"  he  gives  an 

58 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7^30 

26.  think,  therefore,  that  this  is  good  by  reason  of  the 
present  distress,  namely,  that  it  is  good  for  a  man 

27.  Ho  be  as  he  is.  Art  thou  bound  unto  a  wife?  seek 
not  to  be  loosed.     Art  thou  loosed   from  a  wife? 

28.  seek  not  a  wife.  But  and  if  thou  marry,  thou  hast 
not  sinned;  and  if  a  virgin  marry,  she  hath  not 
sinned.    Yet  such  shall  have  tribulation  in  the  flesh: 

29.  and  I  would  spare  you.  But  this  I  say,  brethren, 
the  time  ^  is  shortened,  that  henceforth  both  those 

30.  that  have  wives  may  be  as  though  they  had  none; 
and  those  that  weep,  as  though  they  wept  not;  and 
those  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not;  and 

*  Gr.,  so  to  he. 

"  Or,   is  shortened  henceforth,   that  both   those,   etc. 

opinion  which  is  not  to  be  taken  as  a  fixed  rule,  but  which,  in 
their  conditions,  should  have  careful  attention.  Those  conditions 
are  covered   by   the   description 

26.  The  present  distress,  which  refers  to  the  troublous 
times  preceding  the  Lord's  coming  (see  Lk.  21:23-28).  Paul 
and  the  early  church  generally  believed  in  the  nearness  of  the 
Lord's  second  advent.  In  view  of  this  crisis  it  is  good  for  any- 
one (not  merely  virgins)  to  be  as  he  is,  i.e.,  to  remain  with- 
out change  of  condition.     Verse  27  explains  this  last  statement. 

28.  Marriage,  while  discouraged  because  of  existing  circum- 
stances, is  not  to  be  looked  upon  as  sinful.  It  is  simply  that  it 
shall  bring  tribulation  in  the  flesh.  "He  that  hath  wife  and 
children  hath  given  hostages  to  fortune."  Persecutions  might 
come. 

29-32.  But  this  I  say,  rather,  I  declare.  This  earnest 
utterance  is  antithetic  to  what  he  has  advised  about  remaining 
in  the  condition  in  which  each  one  was,  especially  in  the  unmar- 
ried condition.  All  are  urged  to  change  their  attitude  toward 
earthly  things,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  time  is  shortened. 
The  Lord's  coming  is  nigh.  They  must  live  as  those  who  at  any 
moment  may  be  called  to  leave  earthly  relations  and  interests. 
This  does  not  mean  that  they  were  to  be  neglectful  of  present 
duty.  Family  obligations  were  not  to  be  ignored  nor  business 
interests  abandoned,  but  they  must  keep  in  mind  the  great 
expectation  of  their  faith.  They  must  maintain  that  spiritual 
detachment  which  would  save  them  from  becoming  entangled 
in  the  affairs  of  this  world  and  encumbered  by  them.    Sorrow  and 

59 


7:31       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

31.  those  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not;  and 
those  that  use  the  world,  as  not  ^abusing  it:  for 

32.  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away.  But  I  would 
have  you  to  be  free  from  cares.  He  that  is  unmar- 
ried is  careful  for  the  things  of  the  Lord,  how  he 

33.  may  please  the  Lord:  but  he  that  is  married  is  care- 
ful for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  he  may  please 

34.  his  ^  wife.  And  there  is  a  difference  also  between 
the  wife  and  the  virgin.  She  that  is  unmarried  is 
careful  for  the  things  of  the  Lord,  that  she  may  be 
holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit :  but  she  that  is  mar- 
ried is  careful  for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  she 

35.  may  please  her  husband.    And  this  I  say  for  your 

1  SV,  using  it  to  the  full. 

^  SV,  wife,  and  is  divided.  So  also  the  woman  that  is  unmarried 
and   the   virgin   is  careful,   etc. 

joy  are  both  to  be  tempered  by  the  thought  of  the  coming  of 
the  Lord.  What  one  buys  he  will  not  hold  with  too  keen  a 
sense  of  possession;  he  will  use  the  world  but  not  to  excess 
for  the  fashion,  i.e.,  its  external  state,  "the  world  of  marry- 
ings  and  marketings,  of  feasts  and  funerals"  is  passing  away. 
In  this  section  the  writer  has  turned,  as  in  17-24,  from  con- 
sidering wedlock  to  other  earthly  conditions  involving  engage- 
ments which  might  fetter  the  Spirit.  He  now  returns  to  the 
subject  of  wedlock  and  in  verses  32-34  gives  another  reason 
for  abstention  from  marriage,  viz.,  freedom  of  mind  for  devo- 
tion to  Christ's  work.  This  reason  is  enforced  by  all  that  he  has 
written  regarding  the  "shortened  time." 

32-35.  I  would  have  you  free  from  cares.  The  unmarried 
man  is  "anxious"  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the 
Lord;  the  married  man  is  "anxious"  to  please  his  wife  as  well 
as  to  serve  the  Lord.  His  care  has  in  it,  therefore,  an  element 
of  distraction.  Care  for  the  earthly  circumstances  of  married 
life  is  identified  with  care  for  the  things  of  the  world.  Not  that 
I  may  cast  a  snare  upon  you.  The  figure  is  that  of  a  halter 
or  lasso,  not  a  trap,  and  means  that  he  does  not  wish  to  deprive 
them  of  freedom  to  marry.  He  is  rather  advising  that  which, 
in  view  of  the  exigencies  of  the  times,  is  "seemly"  and  may 
allow  attendance  upon  the  Lord  without  distraction.  Lk.  10:39- 
41  illustrates  the  force  of  the  last  clause  of  verse  35. 

60 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7^37 

own  profit;  not  that  I  may  cast  a  ^  snare  upon  you, 
but  for  that  which  is  seemly,  and  that  ye  may  attend 

36.  upon  the  Lord  without  distraction.  But  if  any 
thinketh  that  he  behaveth  unseemly  toward  his  ^  vir- 
gin daughter,  if  she  be  past  the  flower  of  her  age, 
and  if  need  so  requireth,  let  him  do  what  he  will; 

37.  he  sinneth  not;  let  them  marry.  But  he  that 
standeth  stedfast  in  his  heart,  having  no  necessity, 
but  hath  power  as  touching  his  own  will,  and  hath 
determined  this  in  his  own  heart,  to  keep  his  own 

^  Or,  constraint;  Gr.,  noose.  "Or,  virgin  (omitting  daughter). 

36-37.  The  specific  question  as  to  what  a  father  ought  to  do 
with  a  daughter  of  age  to  marry  is  now  considered.  In  accord 
with  ancient  custom  the  advice  is  given  to  parents  who  decide 
on  the  marriage  of  their  children.  Two  cases  are  supposed  in 
giving  the  advice  which  the  Corinthians  were  seeking:  (i)  That 
in  which  a  daughter  is  past  the  flower  of  her  age,  i.e.,  over 
twent}'  years  old,  and  there  are  good  reasons  for  the  marriage 
(if  need  so  requireth) .  The  father  then  is  to  give  his  consent 
and  let  his  daughter  and  her  suitor  marry.  He  commits  no  sin 
in  so  doing.  (2)  That  in  which  the  father  is  firmly  convinced 
in  his  own  mind  (standeth  stedfast  in  his  heart)  as  against 
social  pressure  that  it  is  better  for  his  daughter  to  remain  single; 
is  under  no  constraint  (having  no  necessity)  from  peculiar 
circumstances  but  can  act  freely  according  to  his  own  will.  In 
such  a  case  he  does  well  if  he  keep  her  at  home  unmarried. 
There  is  no  fixed  rule  according  to  which  a  father  must  always 
act.  Marriage  is  honorable  but  in  the  general  situation,  as  Paul 
viewed  it,  the 'single  life  was  preferable. 

Another  interpretation  of  this  difficult  section  (7:36-37)  is 
to-day  meeting  with  favor  *  and  merits  attention.  It  requires 
some  modifications  in  the  translation  of  the  section.  This  is, 
therefore,  given  below: 

"If  anyone  considers  he  is  not  behaving  properly  to  the  maid 
who  is  his  spiritual  bride,  if  his  passions  are  strong  and  if  it 
must  be  so,  then  let  him  do  what  he  wants — let  them  be  mar- 

*  See  Moflfat's  translation  of  i  Cor.  7:36-38;  David  Smith,  The  Life 
and  Letters  of  St.  Paid,  pp.  266-268;  Lake,  The  Earlier  Epistles  of 
Paul,   pp.    184-19 1 ;   Peake,  Commentarv  on  the  Bible,   pp.   839-840. 

61 


7:38       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

$8.  ^  virgin  daughter,  shall  do  well.  So  then  both  he 
that  giveth  his  own  ^  virgin  daughter  in  marriage 
doeth  well;  and  he  that  giveth  her  not  in  marriage, 

^  Or,    virgin    (omitting   daughter). 

ried;  it  is  no  sin  for  him.  But  the  man  of  firm  purpose  who 
has  made  up  his  mind,  who  instead  of  being  forced  against  his 
will,  has  determined  to  himself  to  keep  his  maid  a  spiritual 
bride — that  man  will  be  doing  the  right  thing.  Thus  both  are 
right  alike  in  marrying  and  in  refraining  from  marriage,  but  he 
who  does  not  marry  will  be  found  to  have  done  better." 

According  to  this  interpretation  Paul  is  not  writing  about  the 
duties  of  a  father  in  reference  to  unmarried  daughters,  but  of  a 
husband  toward  his  "spiritual  bride."  A  spiritual  bride  was  one 
who  was  pledged  to  share  the  spiritual  life  of  a  given  man  to 
whom  she  was  not  married  but  with  whom  she  was  to  live  in 
spiritual  fellowship. 

The  specific  question  touching  upon  the  relation  of  a  man  to 
his  spiritual  bride  is  now  considered.  "What  shall  he  do  if  he 
finds  himself  unequal  to  the  abstinence  he  has  attempted?"  or 
to  put  the  question  in  the  words  of  the  text,  "If  he  thinketh  he 
behaveth  unseemly  *  toward  his  spiritual  bride"  and  if  he 
be  overpassionate  and  his  nature  demands  marriage. 
What  then?  The  course  is  clear — "let  them  marry."  As  second- 
ing this  rendering  the  following  points  are  to  be  noted:  (a)  In 
the  original  (Greek)  neither  the  word  "father"  nor  "daughter" 
occurs.  It  reads  "if  anyone  behaveth  unseemly  toward  his  vir- 
gin." (b)  The  phrase  "act  unseemly"  is  not  strictly  appropriate 
to  a  father's  conduct  toward  his  daughter,  (c)  Let  them  marry 
naturally  applies  to  the  husband  and  his  spiritual  bride,  (d)  A 
more  natural  sense  is  given  to  the  whole  section,  (e)  The  trans- 
lation "exceedingly  lusty"  or  "overpassionate"  instead  of  "past 
the  flower  of  her  age"  is  justifiable  since  found  elsewhere.  In 
the  Apostolic  Constitutions  (III,  2)  it  is  rendered  "overpassion- 
ate."    It  is  appHed  here  to  the  man. 

Two  difficulties  confront  this  interpretation,  (i)  The  verb 
rendered  in  the  Revised  Version  "give  in  marriage"  (28)  must 
be  changed  to  "marry."  The  word  is  not  found  outside  the  New 
Testament  and  is  there  translated  "give  in  marriage."  On  the 
analogy,  however,  of  like  formations  the  verb  can  mean  "to  prac- 
tice marriage"  or  "to  celebrate  marriage,"  either  of  which  would 
fit  into  the  above  interpretation.     (2)    The  custom  of  spiritual 

*  The  word  has  a  sexual  reference  in   Rom.    i  :27. 
62 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7 -40 


39 


shall  do  better.  A  wife  is  bound  for  so  long  time 
as  her  husband  liveth;  but  if  the  husband  be  ^  dead, 
she  is  free  to  be  married  to  whom  she  will;  only  in 
40.  the  Lord.  But  she  is  happier  if  she  abide  as  she 
is,  after  my  judgment:  and  I  think  that  I  also  have 
the  Spirit  of  God. 

2.  On  Eating  Meat  Offered  to  Idols,  8:i— ii:i 

It  was  the  intimate  relation  of  idolatrous  worship  to 
social  life  which  gave  rise  to  the  questions  connected 
with  this  subject.  The  temples  in  a  city  like  Cormth 
were  often  closely  identified  with  social  festivities.  The 
sacrifice  was  the  center  of  worship,  and,  as  the  greater 
part  of  the  animal  offered  (only  the  legs  and  entrails 
were  burned)  reverted  to  the  worshipers,  the  occasion 
for  sacrifice  was  also  the  occasion  for  a  banquet  either 

1  Or,  fallen  asleep.  


marriage  cannot  be  traced  back  of  the  second  century.  It  is, 
however,  possible  that  owing  to  the  emphasis  Paul  put  upon  the 
value  of  celibacy  as  well  as  to  an  ascetic  reaction  against  the 
impurity  of  Corinth  that  this  exceptional  expedient  arose.  If 
the  expedient  in  any  case  became  too  severe,  it  might  be  ended 
by  marriage.  ,    ,  ,  ,. 

39-40  To  the  same  import  is  the  appended  word  regardmg 
the  remarriage  of  widows.  It  is  perfectly  right  for  them  to 
marry  again  if  they  marry  in  the  Lord,  i.e.,  with  those  who  are 
believers,  but  a  widow  is  more  blessed  if  she  remain  a  widow 
in  order  that  she  may  give  undivided  devotion  to  the  Lord.  In 
all  his  advice  upon  the  question  of  marriage  or  remarriage  Paul 
believes  that  he  is  guided  by  the  Spirit  and  not  from  mere  per- 
'lonal  inclination.  It  is  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  he  is 
speaking  to  Corinthians  and  at  a  time  when  the  expectation  of 
the  Lord's  speedy  coming  was  emphasized.  These  considerations 
have  done  much  to  determine  the  character  of  the  teaching. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  well  to  note  that  the  marriage  of  Christians 
is  in  any  circumstances  honorable.  Exceptional  conditions  may 
make  celibacy  preferable  but  only  for  those  who  are  continent 
and  eagerly  desire  to  serve  the  Lord.  Paul  does  not  exalt  celibacy 
as  an  ideal  for  all. 

63 


7:40       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

in  the  temple  itself  or  at  the  home.  To  this  relatives  and 
friends  were  invited.  Such  an  invitation  has  come  to 
light  in  an  Egyptian  papyrus:  "Chairemon  invites  you 
to  dinner  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  Serapis  in  the  Sera- 
paeum,  to-morrow,  i.e.,  the  fifteenth"  (Pap.  Oxy.  i,  no). 
These  gatherings  were  by  no  means  always  religious. 
Associations  and  clubs  of  various  kinds,  though  organ- 
ized for  nonreligious  purposes,  were  usually  united  by  a 
bond  of  devotion  to  some  deity  in  whose  temple  they  held 
social  feasts.  The  god  himself  was  supposed  to  be  the 
host.  What  should  a  Christian  do  in  case  he  were  in- 
vited? Furthermore,  much  of  the  meat  for  sale  in  the 
public  markets  came  from  sacrificial  altars.  Had  it  be- 
come thereby  polluted?  What  was  a  Christian's  duty 
in  regard  to  this?  Must  he  carefully  inquire  about  it 
before  buying  it,  or  partaking  of  it,  if  he  sat  down  at 
the  table  of  a  non-Christian  friend?  Apparently  there 
were  two  opinions  upon  the  subject  in  the  Corinthian 
Church.  Some,  sure  in  their  judgment  that  the  idols 
of  the  city  represented  merely  imaginary  things  and, 
therefore,  really  had  no  significance,  claimed  full  liberty 
in  the  matter.  "We  have  knowledge,"  they  boasted,  "all 
things  are  lawful"  for  us;  we  may  eat  wherever  and 
whenever  idol-meats  are  put  before  us.  Others,  having 
no  such  firm  conviction  regarding  the  nothingness  of 
idols  were  troubled  with  scruples, — survivals  from  their 
habits  of  idolatrous  worship.  They  had  so  long  revered 
the  deities  whom  the  idols  represented  that  they  could 
not  free  themselves  completely  from  a  sense  of  their 
reality.  In  partaking  of  these  meats  they  were  fearful 
lest  they  take  part  again  in  the  worship  they  had  given 
up.  Their  consciences  would  then  be  defiled.  "The 
strong"  saw  no  reason  for  any  breach  of  social  friendli- 
ness; "the  weak,"  desiring  to  keep  alive  friendly  rela- 
tions with  former  friends,  could  do  so  only  with  spiritual 
peril  to  themselves. 

64 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         8:3 


Such  was  the  situation  and  Paul  meets  it  by  showing 
(i)  how  "the  strong"  must  act  in  view  of  the  weak. 
Personal  liberty  must  be  restricted  by  the  spirit  of  love 
(8:1-13).  This  he  illustrates  and  enforces  by  his  own 
practice  (9:1-22).  He  then  considers  (2)  the  value  of 
voluntary  restriction  of  personal  liberty  to  the  strong 
themselves.  Without  it  they  may  in  the  end  fail 
(9:23-27).  A  confirmatory  example  of  this  is  the  experi- 
ence of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  (10:1-14).  Finally  he 
dwells  upon  the  inconsistency  of  Christians  attending 
idol -feasts.  These  feasts  imply  fellowship  with  demons. 
Can  a  Christian  who  has  fellowship  with  Christ  have 
fellowship  with  demons  (10:15-22)?  The  whole  sec- 
tion concludes  with  a  summary  statement  of  the  rules 
which  should  regulate  one's  action  (10:23—11:1). 

8.  I.  Now  concerning  things  sacrificed  to  idols:  we 
know  that  we  all  have  knowledge.  Knowledge  puffeth 

2.  up  but  love  ^  edifieth.  If  any  man  thinketh  that  he 
knoweth  anything,  he  knoweth  not  yet  as  he  ought 
to  know;  but  if  any  man  loveth  God,  the  same  is 


3- 


1  Gr.,   buildeth   up. 


a.    How  the  Strong  Must  Act  in  View  of  the  Weak;  Personal 
Liberty  Must  Be  Restricted  by  the  Spirit  of  Love,  8:1-13. 

8:1.  We  know  that  we  all  have  knowledge.  This  is  quite 
likely  a  quotation  from  the  Corinthian  letter  and  is  made  with 
a  touch  of  irony.  There  is  a  bit  of  conceit  in  the  assertion.  At 
any  rate  the  enlightenment  which  they  claimed  seems  to  have 
been  of  that  purely  intellectual  kind  which  easily  fosters  pride. 
They  might  clearly  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing  and  yet  work 
harm  through  their  knowledge.  Only  love  can  save  one  from 
this  for  it  is  love  that  "buildeth  up"  (edifieth)  a  church.  2.  In- 
deed, if  any  man  thinks  that  he  has  come  to  know  anything  but 
knows  it  simply  with  his  head,  he  does  not  know  as  he  ought  to 
know.  Knowledge  which  is  devoid  of  love  is  really  not  a 
true  knowledge.  3.  The  real  way  to  the  knowledge  of  God  is  to 
love  Him  (i  Jn.  4:7-8).     Spiritual  knowledge  has  in  it  the  ale- 

6s 


8':4         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

4.  known  of  him.  Concerning  therefore  the  eating  of 
things  sacrificed  to  idols  we  know  that  no  idol  is 
anything  in  the  world,  and  that  there  is  no  God  but 

5.  one.  For  though  there  be  that  are  called  gods, 
whether  in  heaven  or  on  earth;  as  there  are  gods 

6.  many,  and  lords  many;  yet  to  us  there  is  one  God, 
the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  unto 
him;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  whom  are 

7.  all  things,  and  we  through  him.  Howbeit  in  all  men 
there  is  not  that  knowledge:  but  some,  being  used 

ment  of  appropriation.  He  who  knows  God  in  this  way  is 
known  of  Him  which  guarantees  the  fact  that  the  man  himself 
has  true  knowledge.  In  this  way  before  coming  to  the  answer 
of  the  question  itself  regarding  idol-meats  Paul  calls  upon  the 
Corinthians  to  reflect  upon  the  worth  for  real  Christian  service 
of  the  knowledge  which  they  claimed. 

4.  No  idol  is  anything.  The  better  translation  is  there  is 
no  idol  in  the  world  as  the  structure  is  parallel  with  the  next 
clause  "and  that  there  is  no  God."  It  may  be  a  statue;  it  cannot 
be  the  image  of  a  god  who  does  not  exist. 

5-6.  Over  against  the  polytheistic  faith  of  the  Greek  who 
believed  "in  gods  many"  is  set  the  clear  enlightened  creed  of  the 
Corinthian  Church: — "one  God,  the  Father — the  source  of  all 
created  things  and  the  One  to  whom  we  Christians  are  conse- 
crated; one  Lord  Jesus  Christ  through  whom  all  things  came 
into  being  (the  Messianic  stamp  is  upon  all  creation)  and  through 
whom  we  Christians  are  what  we  are  because  He  has  redeemed 
us."  If  this  creed  was  part  of  the  Corinthian  letter  addressed  to 
Paul,  which  is  not  at  all  improbable,  it  shows  what  an  emanci- 
pation from  the  superstitions  of  heathendom  had  come  to  many 
in  the  church.  Such  a  creed  surely  made  meats  sacrificed  to 
idols  things  morally  indifferent  and  opened  the  way  to  freedom. 
It  is  to  be  noted  also  how  early  the  higher  doctrine  of  the  Lord's 
person  existed  in  the  faith  of  the  church.  Paul  would  undoubt- 
edly have  encouraged  the  freedom  which  this  "knowledge" 
brought  had  it  not  been  for  the  "weaker  brothers."  Because  of 
them,  the  spirit  of  love  lays  restriction  upon  the  exercise  of 
freedom. 

7.  Howbeit  in  all  men  there  is  not  that  knowledge.  In 
some  there  was  not  the  clear  insight  of  the  creed  given  above. 
Weakness  of  understanding  or  the  easy  habit  of  heathen  worship 
made  it  impossible  for  them  to  get  rid  of  the  impression  that  an 

66 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       8:12 

until  now  to  the  idol,  eat  as  of  a  thing  sacrificed  to 
an  idol;  and  their  conscience  being  weak  is  defiled. 

8.  But  meat  will  not  commend  us  to  God:  neither,  if 
we  eat  not,  ^  are  we  the  worse ;  nor,  if  we  eat,  ^  are 

9.  we  the  better.     But  take  heed  lest  by  any  means 
this  ^  liberty  of  yours  become  a  stumblingblock  to 

10.  the  weak.  For  if  a  man  see  thee  which  hast  knowl- 
edge sitting  at  meat  in  an  idol's  temple,  will  not 
his  conscience,  if  he  is  weak,  *  be  emboldened  to  eat 

11.  things  sacrificed  to  idols?  For  ^  through  thy  knowl- 
edge he  that  is  weak  perisheth,  the  brother  for  whose 

12.  sake  Christ  died.  And  thus  sinning  against  the 
brethren,  and  wounding  their  conscience  when  it  is 

^  Gr.,  do  we  lack.  '  Gr.,   do  we  abound.  '  Or,  power. 

*  Gr.,    be    builded   up.  "  Gr.,   in. 

idol  is  a  reality  and  therefore,  in  eating  the  idol  sacrifices,  they 
felt  that  they  were  doing  wrong.  And  so  their  conscience, 
being  weak,  is  defiled.  It  is  defiled  by  doing  something  which, 
through  want  of  insight,  it  considers  idolatrous,  thus  bringing  a 
sense  of  guilt.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  Paul  has  not  in  mind 
censorious  and  narrow-minded  people.  "Weak  brethren"  are  not 
those  who  wish  to  make  others  fit  to  their  whims  or  demand 
certain  restrictions  upon  freedom  because  they  have  different 
and  decided  conceptions  of  duty.  It  is  rather  one  who,  troubled 
by  unfounded  scruples,  is  quietly  emboldened  to  do  violence  to 
them  through  the  example  of  others.  It  is  one  thing  to  use 
freedom  in  the  maintenance  of  right  principles;  it  is  quite 
another  to  embolden  a  scrupulous  conscience  to  be  untrue  to 
itself. 

8.  But  meat  will  not  commend  us  to  God.  As  that 
"which  goeth  into  the  mouth  cannot  defile  a  man"  the  eating 
of  meats  offered  to  idols  can  in  no  way  affect  our  relation  to 
God,  Whether  a  Christian  of  insight  exercises  his  freedom  or 
restricts  it,  he  in  no  way,  changes  his  position  toward  God  as 
far  as  the  food  is  concerned.  The  serious  question  to  be  con- 
sidered in  the  whole  matter  is  the  effect  of  our  action  upon 
others.    That  possible  effect  is  shown  in  the  next  verses. 

9-12.  An  "enlightened"  Christian  goes  to  a  banquet.  A  "weak 
brother"  in  the  same  company  sees  him  partake  of  the  feast. 
What  follows?     He  is  emboldened  to  join  in  the  feast.    Paul 

67 


8:i3       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

13.  weak,  ye  sin  against  Christ.  Wherefore  if  meat 
maketh  my  brother  to  stumble,  I  will  eat  no  flesh 
for  evermore,  that  I  make  not  my  brother  to  stumble. 

9.  I.  Am  I  not  free?  Am  I  not  an  apostle?  Have  I  not 
seen  Jesus  our  Lord?     Are  ye  not  my  work  in  the 

2.  Lord?  If  to  others  I  am  not  an  apostle,  yet  at  least 
I  am  to  you:  for  the  seal  of  mine  apostleship  are  ye 

uses  ironically  the  word  "edified" — edified  to  the  weakening  of 
his  conscience !  The  very  "enlightenment"  which  takes  the  one 
freely  to  the  feast  becomes  the  means  of  the  other's  entering  upon 
the  road  to  ruin.  "Through  thy  knowledge  he  that  is  weak 
perisheth."  Furthermore  the  weak  Christian  is  a  "brother"; 
Christ  died  for  him.  The  sin,  therefore,  is  not  alone  against  a 
fellow-disciple,  weak  though  he  be.  It  is  against  Christ.  This 
is  the  climax  of  the  tragedy.  The  loveless  exercise  of  freedom 
could  not  be  more  clearly  condemned. 

13.  Wherefore.  Note  in  this  personal  pledge  the  recurrence 
of  the  word  "brother."  "It  is  this  personal  element  that  turns 
an  academic  question  into  a  vital  and  personal  one."  Note  also 
that  the  pledge  is  conditional.  If  there  is  no  danger  of  offense 
to  a  "brother"  then  the  freedom  which  enlightenment  gives  is 
unrestricted. 

b.  Paul's  Example  of  Self-denial  for  the  Sake  of  Others,  9:1-27 

In  setting  forth  his  own  practice  of  restricting  personal  liberty 
for  the  highest  interests  of  others  Paul's  thought  moves  as  fol- 
lows: There  are  indisputable  proofs  of  his  apostleship  (vss. 
1-2)  and  that  apostleship  has  certain  rights  which  he  was  free 
to  claim  (vss.  4-11).  These  rights  he  had  foregone  in  the  sacred 
interests  of  the  gospel.  He  had  not  only  made  no  claim  for 
material  support,  but  he  had  brought  himself  under  bondage  to 
all — Jew  and  Gentile,  that  he  might  win  them  for  Christ, 

1.  Am  I  not  free?  Have  I  not  the  freedom  of  one  who  is 
Christian?  Am  I  not  an  apostle?  While  the  main  purpose 
of  this  latter  question  is  to  lead  up  to  the  thought  of  the  rights 
which  he  is  willing  to  forego  for  the  sake  of  others,  there  is  also 
an  emphasis  upon  the  validity  of  his  apostleship. 

2.  The  two  credentials  of  his  apostleship  are  (i)  that  he  has 
seen  Jesus  our  Lord.  Paul  rarely  uses  this  combination  of 
names:  generally  he  has  Christ  Jesus  or  Jesus  Christ.  The  name 
Jesus  stands  for  the  earthly  life  of  the  Master.     "Jesus   our 

68 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         9:6 

3.  in  the  Lord.    My  defence  to  them  that  examine  me 

4.  is  this.    Have  we  no  right  to  eat  and  drink?     Have 

5.  we  no  right  to  lead  about  a  wife  that  is  a  ^  beUever, 
even  as  the  rest  of  the  apostles  and  the  brethren  of 

6.  the  Lord,  and  Cephas?     Or  I  only  and  Barnabas, 

^  Gr.,   sister. 

Lord"  signifies  the  risen  Jesus.  The  reference  of  the  whole  state- 
ment is  to  the  experience  on  the  Damascus  road  (Acts  9:3-51 
17).  (2)  The  Corinthian  Church.  That  under  the  power  of 
God  he  had  established  a  Christian  church  in  Corinth  was  in 
itself  ample  vindication  of  his  claim  to  be  "sent"  of  the  Lord 
(2  Cor.  3:2). 

3.  This  refers  to  what  has  just  been  set  forth.  His  apostle- 
ship  had  evidently  been  challenged  in  Corinth,  but  we  are  to 
bear  in  mind  in  this  chapter,  that  the  main  consideration  is  not 
so  much  the  defense  of  his  apostleship  as  it  is  his  unwillingness 
to  press  his  rights  as  an  apostle  to  the  offense  of  others. 

4.  With  this  verse  begins  the  section  (4-1 5a)  setting  forth 
the  rights  of  those  who  minister  to  the  church  in  spiritual  things. 
As  an  apostle  Paul  claims  that  at  the  expense  of  the  church  he 
is  entitled  to  (a)  material  support  {b)  to  take  a  wife  with  him 
on  his  journeys  (c)  to  be  freed  from  the  necessity  of  manual 
labor.    The  last  is  really  the  first  claim  stated  in  negative  form. 

5.  A  wife  that  is  a  believer.  The  Greek  reads,  "a  sister — 
a  wife."  The  question  in  substance  is:  "Have  we  not  the  right 
to  take  a  Christian  sister  to  wife  and  to  have  her  go  with  us 
on  our  journeys?"  As  the  rest  of  the  apostles.  An  indica- 
tion that  most  of  the  apostles  were  married  and  took  their  wives 
with  them  on  their  missionary  tours.  The  brethren  of  the 
Lord.  Mentioned  because  of  their  preeminence  in  the  church. 
They,  too,  had  claimed  and  used  this  right  of  taking  their  wives 
with  them  at  the  expense  of  the  church.  See  Matt.  13:55  for 
their  names.  Their  relationship  to  the  Lord  has  been  much  dis- 
puted and  is  still  undecided.  Were  they  (i)  actual  brothers, 
(2)  half  brothers,  or  (3)  cousins?  There  is  no  decisive  reason 
against  (i),  (2)  is  possible,  (3)  is  improbable.  Cephas  is 
especially  mentioned  because  his  name  and  example  were  well 
known  in  Corinth. 

6.  Or  I  only  and  Barnabas.  Barnabas,  who,  from  the  man- 
ner of  the  use  of  his  name,  was  apparently  widely  known,  had 
joined  Paul  in  the  work  of  self -maintenance. 

69 


9  7         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

7.  have  we  not  a  right  to  forbear  working?  What 
soldier  ever  serveth  at  his  own  charges?  Who 
planteth  a  vineyard  and  eateth  not  the  fruit  thereof? 
or  who  feedeth  a  flock  and  eateth  not  of  the  milk 

8.  of  the  flock?  Do  I  speak  these  things  after  the 
manner  of  men?  or  saith  not  the  law  also  the  same? 

9.  For  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  Thou  shalt 
not  muzzle  the  ox  when  he  treadeth  out  the  corn. 
Is  it  for  the  oxen  that  God  careth,  or  ^  saith  he  it 

10.  altogether  for  our  sake?  Yea,  for  our  sake  it  was 
written:  because  he  that  ploweth  ought  to  plow  in 
hope  and  he  that  thresheth,  to  thresh  in  hope  of  par- 

11.  taking.    If  we  sowed  unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it 

*  Or,  saith  he  it,  as  he  doubtless  doth,  for  our  sake;  SV,  assuredly 
for  our  sake. 

7.  Having  set  forth  his  parity  with  the  apostles  and  other 
eminent  servants  of  the  church  in  his  claim  for  material  support 
he  now  adduces  five  distinct  reasons  for  the  defense  of  this  claim, 
(i)  Analogy.  The  soldier  is  paid  for  his  services;  the  planter 
eats  of  his  vineyard;  the  shepherd  partakes  of  the  milk  from  the 
flock  which  he  feeds. 

8.  (2)  The  teaching  of  the  Law.  This  is  higher  than 
human  judgment  ("after  the  manner  of  men") ;  the  Law  (Deut. 
25:4)  yields  the  same  principle  when  understood  in  its  full 
import.  "Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  a  threshing  ox."  As  he  tramples 
out  the  grain  upon  the  threshing  floor  he  is  allowed  to  eat. 
This  custom  is  continued  in  Palestine  to  this  day. 

9.  Is  it  for  the  oxen  that  God  careth?  The  form  of  the 
question  in  Greek  "it  is  not  for  the  oxen,  is  it,  etc."  plainly 
expects  the  answer  "No" — but  this  can  mean  only  that  it  is  not 
primarily  for  the  oxen.  The  law  was  for  man's  moral  good. 
It  was  to  be  secured  in  this  case  by  his  humanity  toward  his 
beasts. 

10.  Altogether — assuredly.  For  our  sake.  The  principle 
involved  was  originally  for  the  Jewish  nation,  but  Paul  makes 
especial  application  of  it  to  Christian  teachers.  Because  (that). 
Better,  "to  show  that."  The  force  is  explanatory  rather  than 
casual.  They  should  work  in  the  hope  of  partaking  of  the 
products  of  their  spiritual  labor. 

11-12.  This  gives  the  third  reason  in  defense  of  his  claim  for 
support,  viz.,  the  intrinsic  justice  of  it.     He  had  brought  to 

70 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       9:18 

a  great  matter  if  we  shall  reap  your  carnal  things? 

12.  If  others  partake  of  this  right  over  you,  do  we  not 
yet  more?  Nevertheless  we  did  not  use  this  right; 
but  we  bear  all  things  that  we  may  cause  no  hin- 

13.  drance  to  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Know  ye  not  that 
they  which  minister  about  sacred  things  eat  oj  the 
things  of  the  temple  and  they  which  wait  upon  the 

14.  altar  have  their  portion  with  the  altar?  Even  so 
did  the  Lord  ordain  that  they  which  proclaim  the 

15.  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel.  But  I  have  used 
none  of  these  things:  and  I  write  not  these  things 
that  it  may  be  so  done  in  my  case:  for  it  were  good 
for  me  rather  to  die  than  that  any  man  should  make 

16.  my  glorying  void.  For  if  I  preach  the  gos- 
pel, I  have  nothing  to  glory  of;  for  neces- 
sity   is    laid    upon    me;     for    woe    is    unto    me, 

17.  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel.  For  if  I  do  this  of 
mine  own  will,  I  have  a  reward:  but  if  not  of  mine 
own  will,  I  have  a  stewardship  entrusted  to  me. 

18.  What  then  is  my  reward?     That,  when  I  preach  the 

them  rich  spiritual  blessings.  Should  they  not  in  return,  give  him 
enough  of  their  earthly  gains  upon  which  to  live?  This  reason 
was  further  sustained  by  the  fact  that  they  had  already  sup- 
ported other  teachers.  We  bear  all  things.  The  verb  indi- 
cates a  patient  endurance  of  all  the  consequences  that  came 
to  him  from  not  availing  himself  of  the  right  of  support. 

13.  Again  the  practice  of  the  priests  confirmed  his  claim.  A 
portion  of  every  sacrifice  was  always  reserved  for  them  (see 
Numb.  18:8-20). 

i4-i5a.  His  last  reason  is  the  word  of  Jesus  himself,  "The 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  food"  (Matt.  10:10;  Lk.  10:7). 

After  thus  giving  reasons  in  defense  of  "the  righteousness  of  a 
minister's  claim  to  support  he  turns  to  declare  that  he  will  make 
no  use  of  the  privileges  to  which  he  is  entitled  and  to  explain 
why  he  takes  this  stand.  It  is  for  the  gospel's  sake  (23)  (vss. 
iSb-23).  My  glorying.  His  boast  is  that  he  preaches  the  gos- 
pel without  cost  to  the  church. 

16-18.  Preaching  itself  is  no  ground  for  glorying.  He  was 
obliged  to  do  this.     The  duty,  the  necessity  to  preach,  was  laid 

71 


grig       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

gospel,  I  may  make  the  gospel  without  charge,  so 

19.  as  not  to  use  to  the  full  my  right  in  the  gospel.  For 
though  I  was  free  from  all  men,  I  brought  myself 
under  bondage  to  all  that  I  might  gain  the  more. 

20.  And  to  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might 
gain  Jews;  to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  as  under 
the  law,  not  being  myself  under  the  law,   that  I 

21.  might  gain  them  that  are  under  the  law;  to  them 
that  are  without  law,  as  without  law,  not  being  with- 
out law  to  God,  but  under  law  to  Christ,  that  I 


upon  him  by  the  commission  given  him  on  the  way  to  Damascus 
(see  Acts  9:15;  13:2;  22:21).  He  was  "laid  hold  on  by  Christ 
Jesus"  (Phil.  3:12).  Hence  his  position  was  not  that  of  one 
who  of  his  own  free  will  had  taken  up  the  service;  he  was  rather 
like  a  steward  whose  work  was  chosen  for  him  and  of  whom 
fidelity  was  expected  (4:2).  He  was  not  to  be  rewarded  for 
simply  doing  his  duty  (Lk.  17:10).  And  yet  he  had  a  reward 
in  that  he  had  determined  to  preach  without  pay  for  thereby 
he  had  the  satisfaction  which  comes  to  a  generous  mind  from 
unpaid  service.    Note  the  succession  of  "fors"  in  verses  16-17. 

19.  For  though  I  was  free  from  all  men.  Turning  back 
again  to  the  thought  of  "freedom"  with  its  implied  rights  Paul 
sets  forth  other  ways  in  which  he  gave  up  his  rights  in  the 
interests  of  others  and  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel. 

20.  To  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew.  The  word  Jew  has 
here  "a  religious,  not  a  racial  meaning."  Paul,  of  course,  re- 
mained a  Jew  by  race.  Illustrations  of  the  way  in  which  he 
"became  as  a  Jew"  are  found  in  Acts  16:3;  18:18;  21:26;  23:6; 
26:22.  To  them  that  are  under  the  law.  These  were  in  all 
probability  circumcised  proselytes.  They  were  "under  the  Mosaic 
law,  and  the  above  illustrations  from  the  Acts  explain  also  how 
he  became  "as  under  the  law."  The  death  of  Christ  had  freed 
him  from  subjection  to  the  law  of  Moses  but  he  was  bound  by 
the  law  of  Christ,  i.e.,  by  the  law  of  love.  It  was  love  which 
constrained  him  to  waive  his  rights  that  he  might  win  the 
greater  number. 

21.  To  them  that  are  without  law.  These  are  the  heathen. 
Paul  often  accommodated  himself  to  their  prejudices  (Gal.  2:3, 
12,  14).  He  quoted  their  poets  and  once  used  as  a  text  an 
inscription  from  one  of  their  altars.  Acts  17:23,  28.  As  with- 
out law.     This  is  not  the  equivalent  of  our  English  "Outlaw" 

72 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       9:25 

22.  might  gain  them  that  are  without  law.  To  the  weak 
I  became  weak  that  I  might  gain  the  weak.  I  am 
become  all   things  to  all  men,   that  I   may  by  all 

23.  means  save  some.  And  I  do  all  things  for  the  gos- 
pel's sake,  that  I  may  be  a  joint  partaker  thereof. 

24.  Know  ye  not  that  they  which  run  in  a  '  race  run 
all,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize?     Even  so  run  that 

25.  ye  may  attain.  And  every  man  that  striveth  in  the 
games  is  temperate  in  all  things.  Now  they  do  it  to 
receive  a  corruptible  crown ;  but  we  an  incorruptible. 

^  Gr.,    race-course. 

(Evans)  which  is  too  strong.  It  means  rather  that  he  took 
the  heathen  point  of  view  as  opposed  to  the  Jewish  who  were 
under  law.  The  limitation  upon  this  is  in  the  words  that  follow. 
The  law  of  love  (Christ's  law)  saved  him  from  the  violation  of 
Christian  principle,  while  it  gave  him,  through  sympathetic  ac- 
commodation, the  greater  power  to  win  men  to  the  gospel. 

22.  To  the  weak  I  became  weak.  He  respected  their 
scruples  and  refrained  from  doing  what  seemed  to  them  wrong. 
I  am  become  all  things,  i.e.,  all  things  possible  to  sympathetic 
accommodation  but  not  contrary  to  Christian  principles.  His 
purpose  was  to  save  men;  his  motive  was  Christian  love  ex- 
hibiting itself  wherever  needful  in  self-denial. 

c.  The  Value  of  Voluntary  Restriction  of  Personal  Liberty  to  the 
Strong  Themselves,  9:23-27 

23.  Hitherto  Paul  has  been  urging  self-denial  for  the  salvation 
of  others.  Now  he  presses  its  claim  as  a  means  of  achieving 
one's  own  salvation.  Without  it  he  might  fail  to  be  a  partaker 
therein  with  those  for  whom  he  had  labored.  In  other  words, 
self-denial  was  of  the  very  spirit  of  the  gospel  itself.  It  were 
tragic  indeed,  because  of  a  lack  of  it  to  preach  to  others  about 
it  and  in  the  end  be  rejected. 

24.  So  run  that  ye  may  obtain.  The  Isthmian  games  cele- 
brated every  third  year  not  far  from  the  city  were  familiar  to 
all  his  readers.  Two  oT  the  five — boxing,  racing,  wrestling,  leap- 
ing and  throwing  of  the  discus — he  selects  for  illustration  of  his 
meaning. 

25.  Temperate  in  all  things.  Those  who  took  part  in  the 
games  were  required  to  abstain  for  ten  months  from  all  physical 
indulgence.     The   points   in   both   illustrations  ^re  self-discipline 

73 


9:26       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

26.  I  therefore  so  run,  as  not  uncertainly;  so  ^  fight  I, 

27.  as  not  beating  the  air:  but  I  ^buffet  my  body  ^nd 
bring  it  into  bondage:  lest  by  any  means,  after  that 
I  have  preached  to  others  I  myself  should  be  re- 
jected. 

10.  I.  For  I  would  not,  brethren,  have  you  ignorant 
how  that  our  fathers  were  all  under  the  cloud  and 

2.  all  passed  through  the  sea;   and  were  all  baptized 

3.  ^  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea;  and  did 

^  Gr.,   box.  2  Qj.,^    bruise.  ^  Gr.,   into. 

and  definiteness  of  aim.    The  application  to  the  earnest  endeavor 
of  winning  eternal  life  is  patent, 

27.  Rejected.  A  term  from  the  games,  "rejected  by  the  um- 
pire." Such  rejection  was  no  imaginary  danger,  as  an  illustra- 
tion from  the  history  of  Israel  will  show. 

d.  The   Rejection   of  Ancient   Israel   and  its  Warning   to    them, 
10:1-14 

1.  For  refers  back  to  "rejected"  (9:27)  and  introduces  an 
illustration  corroborating  the  danger  referred  to.  Our  fathers, 
i.e.,  our  spiritual  fathers.  The  Gentiles  have  through  faith  be- 
come members  of  the  spiritual  Israel  (Rom.  4:11).  All.  Five 
times  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  all  shared  the  blessings 
of  God,  but  yet  with  most  of  them  (really  only  two  were  excep- 
tions)  God  was  not  pleased  (vs.  S). 

2.  Baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea 
(Ex.  13:21,  22;  14:22).  They  gave  themselves  in  loyalty  to 
Moses  in  those  experiences  which  attended  their  deliverance  from 
Egypt — the  baptism  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea.  Not  only  were 
they  delivered  from  bondage  but  they  were  given  daily  sus- 
tenance. 

3.  Spiritual  meat.  .  .  .  Spiritual  drink.  The  manna  (Ex. 
16:14)  and  the  water  from  the  rock  (Ex.  17:6;  Num.  20:11) 
were  material  in  substance  but  spiritual  in  the  sense  that  for 
those  who  partook  of  them  with  discernment  they  had  spiritual 
power.  "They  were  intended  to  convince  the  covenant  people 
of  God's  special  relation  to  them"  and  so  to  strengthen  their 
faith.  Such  divinely  ordered  sustenance  was  clear  evidence  of  a 
redeeming  purpose. 

74 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       10:7 

4.  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat;  and  did  all  drink 
the  same  spiritual  drink;  for  they  drank  of  a  spiritual 

5.  rock  that  followed  them:  and  the  rock  was  Christ. 
Howbeit  with  most  of  them  God  was  not  well 
pleased:    for  they  were  overthrown  in  the  wilder- 

6.  ness.  ^  Now  these  things  were  our  examples  to  the 
intent  we  should  not  lust  after  evil  things  as  they 

7.  also  lusted.  Neither  be  ye  idolaters,  as  were  some 
of  them;  as  it  is  written,  The  people  sat  down  to 

^  Or,  in  these  things  they  became  figures  of  us. 

4.  A  spiritual  rock  that  followed  them.  As  explaining  "the 
spiritual  drink"  two  statements  are  made  (i)  that  it  came  from 
a  spiritual  rock  which  followed  them,  and  (2)  that  this  rock 
was  Christ.  A  Rabbinical  legend  traceable  back  to  the  first 
century  a.  d.  is  to  the  effect  that  a  well  (later  a  rock)  followed 
the  Israelites  and  gave  them  drink.  It  may  be  that  this  legend 
suggested  to  Paul  the  form  of  presentation  of  his  teaching,  but 
the  adjective  "spiritual"  dismisses  entirely  any  literal  acceptance 
of  the  story.  He  is  thinking  of  the  preexistent  Christ  through 
whom  God's  redemptive  purpose  had  expression  in  the  old  as 
well  as  in  the  new  dispensation.  This  "expression"  of  God  in 
Old  Testament  times  is  described  in  the  Book  of  Wisdom  10:16 
as  Wisdom;  in  Philo,  as  the  Word.  For  the  preexistence  of 
Christ  see  Rom.  8:3;  2  Cor.  8:9;  Gal.  4:4;  Phil.  2:5-6. 

5.  All  had  the  blessings,  nevertheless  only  two — Caleb  and 
Joshua — entered  the  promised  land  (Num.  14:16,  29-30).  Here- 
in was  the  stern  warning  against  a  careless,  unspiritual  use  of 
God's  blessings. 

6.  These  things.  The  misuse  of  divine  blessings  and  the 
consequent  rejection.  Examples  for  us  (not  types  of  us)  show- 
ing us  that  we  should  not  lust  after  evil  things  (Num.  11:34). 
Four  examples  of  sins  springing  from  this  lust  after  evil  things 
are  selected  from  the  history  of  Israel  because  of  the  parallel 
situation  of  the  Corinthians.    The  first  of  these  is 

7.  Idolatry.  The  incident  in  the  Old  Testament  is  the  wor- 
ship of  the  molten  calf  (Ex.  32:6).  In  connection  with  this 
worship  there  was  a  feast  in  honor  of  the  new  God.  Neither 
be  ye  idolaters.  Attending  the  feasts  in  idol-temples  might  be 
playing  with  temptation.  Rose  up  to  play — to  take  part  in 
frolicking  and  dancing. 

75 


10 :8       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

8.  eat  and  rose  up  to  play.     Neither  let  us  commit 
fornication,  as  some  of  them  committed,  and  fell  in 

9.  one  day  three  and  twenty  thousand.    Neither  let  us 
tempt  the  ^  Lord,  as  some  of  them  tempted,  and 

10.  perished  by  the  serpents.  Neither  murmur  ye  as 
some  of  them  murmured,  and  perished  by  the  de- 

1 1 .  stroyer.  Now  these  things  happened  unto  them  ^  by 
way  of  example;  and  they  were  written  for  our 
admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  ages  are 

12.  come.    Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 

13.  take  heed  lest  he  fall.     There  hath  no  temptation 

^  Some  ancient  authorities  read  Christ.  ^  Gr.,  by  way  of  figure. 

8.  Fornication.  Israel's  sin  is  recounted  in  Num.  25:1-9. 
Because  of  it  24,000  perished.  The  number  given  in  the  text  is 
probably  due  to  a  lapse  of  memory.  Idolatry  and  fornication 
were  closely  associated  at  Corinth.  The  priestesses  in  the  temple 
of  Aphrodite  were  courtesans. 

9.  Tempt  the  Lord.  To  test  God  to  the  utmost  limit  by 
"the  sin  of  mingled  unbelief,  impatience  and  presumptuousness." 
The  incident  in  the  Old  Testament  to  which  reference  is  made 
is  found  in  Num.  21:4-9.  The  Corinthians  were  tempting  God 
by  trifling  with  idolatry. 

10.  Murmur.  The  Israelites  exhibited  a  spirit  of  rebellious 
discontent  with  Moses  and  Aaron  for  their  severe  punishment 
of  Korah  and  his  followers  (Num.  16:41).  This  was  being 
paralleled  in  Corinth  by  the  irritation  over  the  rigid  teaching  of 
Paul  regarding  self-denial  in  the  matter  of  idol-festivities. 
Destroyer.  Not  Satan  but  the  destroying  angel  sent  by  God 
Himself  (Ex.  12:23). 

11.  The  ends  of  the  ages.  "The  ages  are  the  successive 
periods  in  the  development  of  the  world's  history."  The  Cor- 
inthians were  living  in  the  final  age,  and  were  the  inheritors  of 
all  God's  teaching  in  the  previous  ages.  It  behooved  them  in 
the  light  of  Christ's  revelation  to  interpret  aright  and  fully  the 
meaning  of  past  disciplines  and  judgment. 

12.  Thinketh  he  standeth.  The  strong,  enlightened,  self- 
confident  Corinthian  who  is  sure  he  can  go  to  the  idol-feasts 
with  impunity.  Lest  he  fall  as  the  Israelites  did.  Overconfi- 
dence  begets  carelessness.  The  only  safety  is  in  the  watchfulness 
of  discipline  and  self-restraint. 

13.  While   one   must  be   watchful,  on  one  side  he  is  not,   on 

76 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     io:i6 

taken  you  but  such  as  man  can  bear;  but  God  is 
faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above 
that  ye  are  able;  but  will  with  the  temptation  make 
also  the  way  of  escape  that  ye  may  be  able  to  endure 

14.  it.     Wherefore,  my  beloved,  flee  from  idolatry. 

15.  I  speak  as  to  wise  men;   judge  ye  what  I  say. 

16.  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless  is  it  not  a  ^  com- 
munion of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  ^  bread  which 
we  break  is  it  not  a  ^  communion  of  the  body  of 

'  Or,     participation     in.  *  Or,     loaf. 

the  other,  to  be  afraid  or  distrustful.  In  the  trying  experience 
which  the  breach  with  his  old  heathen  life  would  bring  about 
his  temptations  would  not  be  beyond  the  power  of  endurance. 
Others  had  resisted  like  temptations.  Moreover,  God  is  faithful 
to  His  promise  to  keep  and  will  make  a  way  of  escape. 

e.  The  Inconsistency   of  going  to  the  Lord's  Table  and  also   to 
Idol- feasts,  10:15-22 

15.  Ye  (emphatic)  yourselves.  I  say,  I  "declare"  or  1 
"admit."  Judge  yourselves  what  I  admit.  In  order  to  a  clear 
understanding  of  this  section  several  points  must  be  kept  in 
mind,  (i)  While  Paul  denied  the  existence  of  the  heathen  divini- 
ties he  held  that  evil  powers  were  at  work  behind  the  idols. 
There  is  but  one  God  in  the  world;  an  idol,  therefore,  is  nothing 
as  the  representation  of  a  god.  Malignant  and  degrading  powers, 
however,  used  idol- worship  for  their  own  ends.  (2)  The  Lord's 
supper  and  Jewish  sacrificial  meals  are  used  as  analogies.  The 
chief  subject  is  the  idol-feast.  It  is  only  as  it  bears  upon  this 
that  the  Lord's  supper  is  referred  to.  (3)  The  cup  is  mentioned 
first  probably  because  of  its  importance  in  the  pagan  ceremony. 
The  worshipers  drank  out  of  the  same  cup  but  they  did  not 
partake  of  the  same  bread  (Hastings,  DB.,  p.  132).  Wise 
men, — men  of  good  sense. 

16.  The  cup  of  blessing,  i.e.,  the  cup  which  was  consecrated 
by  the  prayer  of  thanksgiving  said  over  it  and  to  which  the 
congregation  said  "Amen"  (which  we  bless) .  The  word 
"communion"  is  the  key  word  of  the  whole  section.  It  has  to 
do  with  personal  relationship  and  means  fellowship.  Through 
partaking  of  the  cup  and  of  the  bread  they  have  fellowship  both 
with  Christ  and  with  each  other.  The  blood  of  Christ  .  .  . 
the   body   of  Christ.     These  words  do  not  imply  that  in  the 

77 


io:i7     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

17.  Christ?  ^seeing  that  we,  who  are  many,  are  one 
2  bread,  one  body:  for  we  all  partake  ^  of  the  one 

18.  2  bread.  Behold  Israel  after  the  flesh:  have  not  they 
which  eat  the  sacrifices  communion  with  the  altar? 

19.  What  say  I  then?  that  a  thing  sacrificed  to  idols 

20.  is  anything,  or  that  an  idol  is  anything?  But  I  say 
that  the  things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they 
sacrifice  to  *  devils,  and  not  to  God:  and  I  would  not 

1  Or,  seeing  that  there  is  one  bread,  we,  who  are  many,  are  one  body. 

2  Or,    loaf.  ^  Gr.,    from.  *  demons. 

Lord's  supper  we  partake  somehow  of  the  substance  of  the 
Lord's  blood  and  body  as  really  present  in  the  elements.  "Com- 
munion of  the  body  and  blood  is  communion  with  the  personal 
Christ  through  appropriation  of  the  fruits  of  that  sacrifice  which 
is  represented  by  the  broken  bread  and  the  wine."  It  is  a  spiritual 
communion  or  fellowship. 

17.  Seeing  that  we  who  are  many,  etc.  The  thought  of 
the  verse  is  that  as  we  all  partake  of  one  bread,  we  all  belong 
to  one  body.  As  the  Lord's  supper  evidences  our  fellowship  with 
Christ,  so  it  does  our  fellowship  with  one  another,  for  we  all 
partake  of  the  one  bread.  This  fellowship  should  not  be  lightly 
looked  upon  and  broken  by  going  to  idolatrous  feasts. 

18.  Israel  after  the  flesh.  Israel  as  a  nation.  Communion 
with  the  altar.  In  eating  of  the  sacrifices  offered  upon  the 
altar  they  came  into  fellowship  with  Him  to  whom  the  sacrifices 
were  offered.  "An  altar  of  earth  thou  shalt  make  unto  Me  and 
shalt  sacrifice  thereon  thy  burnt  offerings,  and  thy  peace  offer- 
ings, thy  sheep,  and  thy  oxen  and  I  will  bless  thee"  (Ex.  20:24). 
In  both  the  Lord's  supper  and  in  the  Jewish  sacrificial  feasts 
there  is  fellowship  with  an  unseen  Divine  power.  Can  the  idol- 
feasts  be  without  fellowship  with  an  unseen  power?  The  answer 
to  this  is  prepared  for  by  guarding  himself  against  any  incon- 
sistency with  what  he  has  said  in  8:4.  Meat  offered  to  idols 
is  not  different  from  meat  not  so  offered;  neither  has  an  idol  in 
itself  any  reality.     Certainly  not. 

20.  They  sacrifice  to  demonic  Powers.  These  constitute 
the  unseen  powers  with  whom  the  worshipers  in  an  idol  temple 
come  into  fellowship.  The  evidence  of  it  is  in  the  riot  and  de- 
bauch which  so  often  attended  these  feasts.  Paul  shared  the 
widespread  contemporary  belief  in  demonic  Powers  and  their 
evil   influence   upon   men.     His  language   here   is   reminiscent   of 

78 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     10:23 

21.  that  ye  should  have  communion  with  devils.  Ye 
cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of 
^  devils:    ye   cannot   partake   of   the   table    of    the 

22.  Lord  and  of  the  table  of  Mevils.  Or  do  we  pro- 
voke the  Lord  to  jealousy?  Are  we  stronger  than 
he? 

23.  All  things  are  lawful;  but  all  things  are  not  ex- 
pedient.   All  things  are  lawful  but  all  things  ^  edify 

'  demons.  -  Gr.,    build    not    up. 

the  Greek  version  of  Deut.  32:17.     In  this  verse  the  real  danger 
of  attendance  upon  idol-feasts  is  brought  to  light. 

21.  Ye  cannot — a  moral  impossibility  if  one  has  real  fellow- 
ship with  Christ. 

22.  Provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  (Deut.  32:21).  Drive 
Him  to  the  assertion  and  vindication  of  His  exclusive  claim. 
The  figure  is  taken  from  the  marriage  relation  and  has  a  good 
sense.    Stronger.    There  is  a  note  of  irony  in  this. 

/.  Conclusion — Containing   some   General  Principles   and  Specific 
Directions,  10:23 — 11  :i 

The  whole  subject  of  eating  meat  offered  to  idols  has,  as  the 
Apostle  has  considered  it,  two  distinct  phases.  One  has  to  do 
with  it  from  the  point  of  view  the  weak  Christian  (8:1 — 9:22) 
and  one's  own  highest  interests  (9:23 — 10:14)  and  urges  the 
limitation  which  must  be  put  upon  personal  freedom.  The 
other,  centering  attention  upon  feasts  connected  with  idola- 
trous worship  whereby  those  who  partake  are  brought  into 
communion  with  demonic  powers,  makes  clear  the  moral  impos- 
sibility of  any  earnest  Christian  taking  part  in  them  (10:15-22). 
It  is  regarding  only  the  first  phase  that  expediency  has  any 
place.  The  single  and  only  line  of  action  in  regard  to  the 
second  is  to  keep  away,  "to  flee  from  idolatry."  These  closing 
admonitions  have  to  do  with  the  first  phase  of  the  matter  and 
touch  upon  (i)  the  eating  of  sacrificial  meat  bought  in  the 
market;  (2)  eating  such  meat  upon  the  table  of  a  heathen  host. 

23.  All  things  not  wrong  in  themselves  (see  6:12).  Expedi- 
ent— profitably,  advantageous  to  one's  own  self  (see  9:24 — 
10:13)  or  to  others.  Edify  not,  do  not  help  others  in  their 
Christian  Ufe;  do  not  build  up  the  Church. 

79 


10  124     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

24.  not.    Let  no  man  seek  his  own,  but  each  his  neigh- 

25.  bor's  good.    Whatsoever  is  sold  in  the  shambles,  eat, 

26.  asking  no  question  for  conscience  sake;  for  the  earth 

27.  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fulness  thereof.  If  one  of 
them  that  believe  not  biddeth  you  to  a  jeast,  and 
ye  are  disposed  to  go;  whatsoever  is  set  before 
you,   eat,  asking  no  question  for  conscience   sake. 

28.  But  if  any  man  say  unto  you.  This  hath  been 
offered  in  sacrifice,  eat  not,  for  his  sake  that  shewed 

29.  it,  and  for  conscience  sake:  conscience,  I  say,  not 
thine  own,  but  the  other's;  jor  why  is  my  liberty 

24.  Our  aim  should  be  in  all  our  social  relations  to  look  to 
the  bearing  of  our  conduct  upon  the  good  of  others.  This  sums 
up  8:7 — 9:22. 

25.  In  the  case  of  meat  bought  in  the  public  market  for  his 
own  table  an  enlightened  Christian  is  to  eat  asking  no  question 
for  conscience  sake,  i.e.,  stating  no  inquiries  with  a  view  to 
making  it  a  matter  of  conscience. 

26.  He  knows  that  to  the  Lord  belongs  the  earth  (Ps.  24:1) 
hence  that  all  meat  is  good  whether  offered  to  idols  or  not 
(i  Tim.  4:4;  Mk.  7:15). 

27.  If  a  non-Christian  friend  asks  some  of  you  to  a  meal  in 
his  home  and  you  are  disposed  to  go  {i.e.,  to  go  after  reflecting 
upon  the  matter)  follow  the  same  course  you  would  at  your 
own  table,  if  nobody  raises  a  question  regarding  the  meat.  Paul's 
whole  line  of  advice  here  shows  that  he  has  not  in  mind  a 
ceremonial  feast  in  an  idol-temple. 

28.  If  any  man  say.  Any  scrupulous  or  "weak"  Christian 
(see  8:7)  offered  in  sacrifice.  The  word  in  the  original  here 
is  peculiar  (hierothuton) .  A  pagan  Greek  would  have  used  it 
to  show  that  the  sacrifice  was  sacred  to  the  gods.  Something 
of  this  notion,  perhaps,  lingered  in  the  mind  of  the  informant. 
At  once  the  question  altered  the  situation  and  the  strong  Chris- 
tian was  to  refrain  from  eating.  The  principle  in  verse  24  came 
into  play.  The  scrupulous  brother  must  not  by  example  be  in- 
duced to  violate  his  conscience. 

29.  By  two  rhetorical  questions  he  justifies  his  refusing  to  eat. 
"For  v(^hy  is  my  liberty  judged  by  another  conscience?" 
The  "for"  points  back  to  the  command  "do  not  eat"  (28). 
"Why"  means  not  "for  what  reason,"  nor  "with  what  right,"  but 
"what  worthy  purpose,"  "what  good  end."     The  question  then 

80 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       ii:i 

30.  judged  by  another  conscience?  ^  If  I  by  grace  par- 
take, why  am  I  evil  spoken  of  for  that  for  which  I 

31.  give  thanks?    Whether  therefore  ye  eat  or  drink  or 

32.  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  Give 
no  occasion  of  stumbling,  either  to  Jews  or  to  Greeks, 

7,7,.  or  to  the  Church  of  God:  even  as  I  also  please  all 
men  in  all  things  not  seeking  mine  own  profit,  but 

II.  I.  the  profit  of  the  many,  that  they  may  be  saved. 
Be  ye  imitators  of  me  as  I  also  am  of  Christ. 

^  SV,    If   I   partake   with    thankfulness. 

is  virtually:  what  good  end  will  be  served  if  by  eating  I  assert 
my  liberty  and  that  liberty  is  condemned  by  the  conscience  of 
another?  (see  Rom.  14:16). 

30.  The  second  question  is  to  this  effect:  If  I,  with  thanks 
to  God,  partake  of  the  meat  and  by  this  assertion  of  my  right 
and  liberty  call  forth  conscientious  condemnation  from  those  who 
are  scrupulous  what  advantage  is  there  in  such  an  assertion? 
Both  questions  imply  the  right,  as  far  as  the  enlightened  Chris- 
tian is  concerned,  to  eat  of  the  food;  both  of  them  justify  his 
self-denial  for  another's  good. 

31.  The  great  principle  for  guidance  is  this:  do  all  for  the 
glory  of  God.  The  glory  of  a  thing  is  in  its  manifestation.  We 
glorify  God  when  we  manifest  His  character;  notably  so  when 
we  show  forth  that  spirit  of  love  which  is  always  considerate 
of  the  good  of  those  about  us.  Whatsoever  ye  do  widens  the 
scope  of  the  application  of  the  principle  to  all  relations  of  life. 

32.  To  Jews  or  to  Greeks  or  to  the  church  of  God.  The 
first  two  are  outside  the  church  and  "the  church  of  God"  con- 
tains those  who  need  such  consideration  as  he  has  been  urging 
all  along.  To  each  and  all  they  must  be  offenseless.  "An  ill- 
advised  exhibition  of  Christian  freedom  might  shock  Jews  and 
an  ill-advised  rigor  about  matters  indifferent  might  excite  the 
derision  of  the  Greeks."  Those  without  they  must  not  hinder 
from  coming  in;  those  within  they  must  not  alienate. 

33.  Please.  The  meaning  of  this  word  is  not  so  much  to 
curry  favor  with  all  as  to  accommodate  himself  to  them  with 
the  stedfast  purpose  of  saving  them  (that  they  may  be  saved). 
See  9:19-23. 

I.  As  I  also  am  of  Christ.  The  pattern  of  Christ's  un- 
selfishness is  in  the  immeasurable  sacrifice  He  made  to  redeem 
us  (Phil.  2:5-8)  and  His  self-denying  life  of  love  (Rom.  15:3). 

81 


II  :2 


III.  Concerning  Disorders  Which  Had  Arisen  in 
Public  Worship,  11:2 — 14:40 

I.     The  Unveiling  of  the  Head  by  Women  in  Public 
Worship,  11:2-16 

2.  Now  I  praise  you  that  ye  remember  me  in  all 
things  and  hold  fast  the  traditions,  even  as  I  de- 


These  disorders  were  the  unveiling  of  the  head  by  women 
(11:2-16);  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  Supper  (11:17-34); 
the  misuse  of  spiritual  gifts  (12:1 — 14:40).  In  treating  the  third 
subject  the  analogy  of  the  church  to  the  body  with  its  unity  of 
life  and  variety  of  members  is  set  forth  (12:12-21)  as  is  also 
the  supremacy   of   love    (ch.    13). 

This  is  the  only  passage  in  the  New  Testament  which  has  to 
do  with  this  particular  trouble.  The  atmosphere  and  spirit  of 
Corinth  were,  in  all  likelihood,  the  reason  for  its  appearance 
in  the  Corinthian  church.  On  the  part  of  the  upper  middle 
classes,  the  privacy  and  honor  of  mothers  and  daughters  were 
carefully  guarded  in  public  by  means  of  the  veil.  It  was  a 
necessity  in  a  city  where  hundreds  of  shameless  women  went 
about  unveiled.  Then,  too,  there  were  women  of  unconventional 
life — the  hetaerai — who  were  allowed  much  freedom  and  equality 
with  men  in  public  life.  Paul's  own  description  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  church  (1:26-29)  makes  it  quite  possible  to  think  that 
there  were  those  in  its  membership  who  favored  this  liberty  on 
the  part  of  the  women.  Moreover,  they  could  claim  that  the 
gospel  recognized  the  complete  equality  of  man  and  woman  in 
regard  to  religion.  Why,  then,  should  those  women  who  wished 
to  do  away  with  it,  be  compelled  to  put  on  the  veil?  Paul 
answers    this    question    very    decidedly.*      The    conventions    of 

*  "The  veiling  of  women  was  practised  more  closely  and  completely 
in  Tarsus  than  in  any  other  Greek  or  Graeco-Asiatic  city,  and  Paul, 
who  had  grown  up  to  regard  veiling  as  a  duty  incumbent  on  all  women, 
now  presents  it  to  the  Corinthians  as  a  moral  and  religious  obligation." 
Ramsay,    The   Teaching  of  Paul  in<   Terms  of  the  Present  Day,   p.   214. 

82 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        11:4 

3.  livered  them  to  you.  But  I  would  have  you  know, 
that  the  head  of  every  man  is  Christ;  and  the  head 
of  the  woman  is  the  man;  and  the  head  of  Christ  is 

4.  God.  Every  man  praying  or  prophesying  having  his 

well-ordered  society  must  be  respected.  Furthermore,  the  whole 
Christian  and  natural  order  alike  as  far  as  man  and  woman  are 
concerned,  seconded  this  demand.  Woman  is  subordinate  to  man. 
This  fact  is  not  inconsistent  with  her  equality  with  man  in  re- 
gard to  religion,  but  it  is  a  fact,  nevertheless,  and  warrants  no 
breach  with  those  customs  of  the  self-respecting  society  of  the 
time  which  recognize  it.  Paul  argues  the  subordination  of  woman 
to  man  (i)  From  the  Christian  order  in  the  world  (3-5)  ;  (2) 
from  the  order  established  by  creation  (6-12);  (3)  from  the 
teaching  of  nature  herself  (14-15). 

2.  I  praise  you.  The  words  that  immediately  follow  these 
are  the  reason  of  the  praise.  They  were  probably  statements 
from  the  letter  of  the  Corinthians  to  Paul  "we  remember  you 
.  .  .  and  hold  fast,"  etc.  The  traditions — Christian  instruction 
and  rules  current  in  the  churches  (2  Thess.  2:15;  3:6). 

3.  But  I  would  have  you  know.  The  phrase  calls  their 
attention  to  something  new  which  they  either  had  not  known 
or  had  not  fully  understood  (cf.  10:1)  and  introduces  the 
principles  which  should  be  regulative  of  their  action.  The  head 
of  every  man  is  Christ.  The  Christian  order  is:  Christ  is 
the  head  of  man,  man  is  the  head  of  woman,  God  is  the  head 
of  Christ.  The  head  is  in  close  vital  union  with  the  body  and 
has  dominion  over  it.  Both  of  these  realities  are  connoted  in  the 
metaphysical  meaning  of  "head"  which  may  be  interpreted: 
Dominion  based  upon  vital  union.  Man  united  to  Christ  by 
faith  accepts  his  authority  over  him;  woman  joined  to  man  in 
marriage  accepts  his  authority  over  her;  Christ  as  the  Son  is  sub- 
ordinate to  the  authority  of  God  (Evans) .  It  is  to  be  under- 
stood, of  course,  that  it  is  in  view  of  the  distinction  of  sexes 
and  of  social  relations  that  the  subordination  of  woman  is 
spoken  of.  "The  husband  is  not  between  a  Christian  wife  and 
her  Lord;  she  is  subordinate  to  him  in  the  Lord  and  it  is  by 
aiding  him  that  she  lives  for  the  Lord." — Godet. 

4.  Every  man  praying  or  prophesying.  This  is  not  meant 
to  imply  that  such  cases  of  disorder  were  taking  place  in  the 
church.  The  case  is  instanced  only  to  give  force  by  way  of  con- 
trast to  the  proper  conduct  of  women.  Prophesying.  Speak- 
ing truth  under  the  immediate  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Dishonoreth  his  head.    While  primarily  the  reference  is  to  his 

83 


II  :5       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

5.  head  covered,  dishonoreth  his  head.  But  every 
woman  praying  or  prophesying  with  her  head  un- 
veiled dishonoreth  her  head:   for  it  is  one  and  the 

6.  same  thing  thing  as  if  she  were  shaven.  For  if  a 
woman  is  not  veiled  let  her  also  be  shorn:  but  if  it  is 
a  shame  to  a  woman  to  be  shorn  or  shaven  let  her  be 

7.  veiled.  For  a  man  indeed  ought  not  to  have  his  head 
veiled,  for  as  much  as  he  is  the  image  and  glory  of 

8.  God:  but  the  woman  is  the  glory  of  the  man.     For 

own  head,  indirectly,  in  view  of  the  immediate  context,  it  may 
refer  to  Christ.  The  veil  is  the  badge  of  subordination.  By 
wearing  it  man  shames  himself  by  denying  his  superiority  to 
woman  and  shames  Christ  by  denying  his  proper  relation  to  Him. 

5.  Every  woman,  etc.  By  being  unveiled,  while  in  prayer 
or  prophesying  a  woman  dishonors  her  head  not  only  in  refusing 
to  acknowledge  her  subordination  to  her  husband  (a  divinely 
ordered  relationship, — see  vs.  3)  but  in  ignoring  the  demand  of 
decorum,  as  if  she  were  shaven.  Public  women  went  about 
unveiled.  Slave  women  had  the  head  shaven.  Among  the  Jews 
an  adulterer  was  thus  punished.  A  woman  who  insisted  upon 
being  unveiled  in  public  worship  put  herself  on  a  level  with 
these. 

6.  If  she  insists  in  this  way  also  upon  social  equality  with 
men,  let  her  cut  her  hair  short  like  a  man.  As  that  would  be 
a  mark  of  disgrace,  let  her  keep  her  veil  on. 

7.  Up  to  this  point  Paul  has  had  in  mind  the  "divine  law  of 
subordination"  set  forth  in  verse  3.  This  law  is  confirmed  by 
the  facts  which  appear  in  the  creation  of  man  and  woman.  The 
divine  order  is  seconded  by  the  natural.  To  this  attention  is 
now  directed.  The  image  and  glory  of  God.  In  Gen.  1:26 
it  reads  "Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness." 
Paul  substitutes  "glory"  for  likeness  and  centers  his  thought  upon 
the  dominion  which  was  given  to  man  immediately  after  he  was 
created.  So  like  God  was  he,  as  compared  with  all  the  rest  of 
creation,  that  to  him  was  given  dominion.  This  was  his  "glory." 
Two  distinctions  are  made  between  man  and  woman,  (i)  He 
is  both  the  image  and  glory  of  God  which  she  is  not.  (2)  Man 
is  the  glory  of  God;  woman  is  the  glory  of  man.  Both  of  these 
distinctions  are  reasons  why  the  man  ought  not  to  veil  his  head 
in  public  worship  and  why  the  woman  should. 

8-9.  These  verses  contain  the  proofs  or  confirmations  of  the 
fact  that  "woman  is  the  glory  of  man."     (i)   That  she  was  de- 

84 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      11:14 

the  man  is  not  of  the  woman;   but  the  woman  of 
9.    the  man:   for  neither  was  the  man  created  for  the 

10.  woman;  but  the  woman  for  the  man:  For  this  cause 
ought  the  woman  to  ^  have  a  sign  of  authority  on  her 

11.  head,  because  of  the  angels.    ^  Howbeit  neither  is  the 
woman  without  the  man,  nor  the  man  without  the 

12.  woman,  in  the  Lord.     For  as  the  woman  is  of  the 

13.  man  so  is  the  man  also  by  the  woman;  but  all  things 
are  of  God.     Judge  ye  ^  in  yourselves:  is  it  seemly 

14.  that  a  woman  pray  unto  God  unveiled?     Doth  not 
even  nature  itself  teach  you  that,  if  a  man  have  long 

^  Or,  have  autliority  over.  -  SV,   nevertheless.         ^  Or,   among. 

rived  from  the  man  (Gen.  2:21-23).  (2)  She  was  created  for 
man,  i.e.,  to  be  a  helpmeet  for  him  (Gen.  2:18).  Man,  under 
God,  is  the  source  and  aim  of  her  being.  All  this  is  based  upon 
a  Hteral  acceptance  of  the  account  of  the  creation  of  woman  as 
given  in  Genesis. 

10.  For  this  cause,  f.e.,  because  of  all  that  is  set  forth  in 
7b-9.  A  sign  of  authority.  The  marginal  reading  is  better 
"to  have  authority  over  her  head,"  i.e.,  control  over  her  head. 
See  Rev.  11:6,  14:18,  20:6;  Rom.  9:21,  where  the  same  form  of 
expression  appears.  The  veil  gives  a  woman  this  control.  By 
reason  of  it  she  is  not  exposed  to  evil  gaze  nor  insulting  word. 
Her  privacy  is  respected  and  honored.  In  veiling  herself  to  all 
but  her  husband  she  acknowledges  her  subordination.  Because 
of  the  angels.  The  expression  "the  angels"  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment always  refers  to  holy  angels.  They  were  thought  of  as 
present  at  public  worship  and  would  be  shocked  by  the  irrever- 
ence and  insubordination. 

11-12.  These  words  are  to  guard  against  a  one-sided  emphasis 
upon  woman's  subordination  and  a  possible  contempt  for  it.  In 
the  Lord.  Man  and  woman  are  indispensable  to  each  other  in 
their  common  life  and  service.  Woman  was  taken  from  man, 
but  man  also  is  born  of  woman,  and  both  with  their  compen- 
sating interrelations  are  of  God. 

13.  The  Apostle  now  appeals  to  social  sentiment  and  natural 
feeling.  Unto  God,  i.e.,  unto  God  in  public  worship  where 
earnest  prayer  should  be  accompanied  by  holy  modesty. 

14.  Nature.  This  means  the  natural  feeling  that  had  been 
established  by  custom  and  so  came  to  be  nature.  Greek,  Roman, 
and   Jewish    men   wore    their   hair    short.     Long   hair   for   them 

85 


ii:i5     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

15.  hair,  it  is  a  dishonor  to  him?  But  if  a  woman  have 
long  hair,  it  is  a  glory  to  her:  for  her  hair  is  given 

16.  her  for  a  covering.  But  if  any  man  seemeth  to  be 
contentious,  we  have  no  such  custom,  neither  the 
churches  of  God. 

2.     The  Profanation  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  11:17-34 

17.  But  in  giving  you  this  charge,  I  praise  you  not,  that 
ye  come  together  not  for  the  better  but   for  the 

was  unmanly.  Woman's  long  hair,  on  the  contrary,  was  her 
glory.  Nature  thus  teaches  that  woman  whose  hair  was  "given 
her  for  a  covering"  (vs.  15)  was  meant  for  a  life  of  modesty 
and  retirement.  The  veil  is  but  in  line  with  this  and  should 
therefore  be  always  worn  in  public.  Customs  have  changed  and 
no  one  would  to-day  argue  that  a  woman  should  be  veiled  in 
pubhc  as  symbolizing  her  subordination  to  man  but  the  essential 
fact  of  the  physical  subordination  of  woman  to  man  remains. 

16.  The  section  ends  rather  sharply.  If  after  all,  these  argu- 
ments someone  is  determined  to  be  contentious,  disputatious, — 
bound  to  argue,  all  that  need  be  said  is  that  we  have  no  such 
custom,  i.e.,  of  woman  praying  unveiled,  nor  do  other  churches. 
That  ends  the  matter. 

Through  the  report  of  Stephanas  and  his  companions  Paul 
had  learned  of  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  Table  (for  I  hear, 
etc.  [18]).  It  was  a  serious  matter  indeed  not  only  in  itself, 
but  in  its  consequences  (30)  and  he  gives  it  most  earnest  atten- 
tion. From  the  very  beginning  of  the  history  of  the  church,  the 
spirit  of  brotherhood  had  manifested  itself  in  a  common  meal, 
with  which,  in  some  way,  the  Eucharist  was  associated.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  at  first  every  meal  at  which  Christians  met 
was  hallowed  in  this  way.  Later,  it  became  customary  for  the 
Church  to  assemble — perhaps  every  Sunday — for  the  common 
Eucharistic  meal.  The  Corinthians  before  they  became  Chris- 
tians were  not  strangers  to  a  like  custom  for  the  guilds  of  a 
city  like  Corinth  had  such  common  feasts,  at  which  rich  and 
poor  met  together.  In  the  Greek  guilds  the  cost  of  the  meal 
was  paid  out  of  the  guild's  treasury.  The  Christian  custom  was 
that  each  one  bring  his  own  portion,  as  a  gift  to  the  Lord  and 
for  the  common  repast.  This  custom  opened  the  way  for  the 
evils  which  had  made  the  meal  an  occasion  for  the  manifesta- 

86 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      11:19 

18.  worse.     For  first  of  all,  when  ye  come  together  Mn 
the  church  I  hear  that  -divisions  exist  among  you; 

19.  and  I  partly  believe  it.     For  there  must  be  also 

^  Or,   in   the  congregation.  "  Gr.,   schisms. 

s . 

tion  of  such  selfishness  and  irreverence  as  had  well-nigh  oblit- 
erated all  true  sense  of  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  supper 
connected  with  it.  As  a  rebuke  Paul  reminds  them  of  the 
original  institution  of  the  supper,  in  the  night  in  which  Jesus 
was  betrayed,  showing  them,  by  reproducing  the  Lord's  words 
and  actions,  that  it  was  a  solemn  service  prefiguring  His  sacri- 
ficial death,  and  intended,  in  its  repeated  observance,  to  be  a 
memorial  of  that  death.  If  for  any  reason  that  purpose  became 
lost  from  sight  there  was  danger  of  "eating  and  drinking  judg- 
ment" to  oneself  (29).  The  emphasis  in  this  passage  (11:23-25) 
is  upon  the  memorial  character  of  the  Lord's  supper;  in  10:15-22 
it  is  upon  it  as  a  means  of  communion  or  spiritual  fellowship 
with  the  Lord.  Both  passages  are  essential  to  a  full  interpreta- 
tion of  this  sacred  rite.  In  the  section  now  before  us,  Paul  com- 
ments upon  their  unchristian  conduct,  as  reported  to  him  17-22, 
brings  to  mind  the  scene  in  the  upper  room  in  the  night  of  the 
Lord's  betrayal,  showing  its  solemn  character  (23-26),  sets  be- 
fore them  the  seriousness  of  eating  and  drinking  unworthily  (27, 
29,  30),  urges  them  to  self-examination  before  partaking  (28,  31, 
32)  and  bids  them  forestall  the  temptations  to  selfishness  and 
greed  (33-34)- 

17.  This  charge.  The  reference  of  the  this  is  formally  am- 
biguous, but,  in  view  of  the  structure  of  the  original,  it  is  better 
to  refer  it  to  the  instruction  which  follows  regarding  the  Lord's 
supper.  Way's  translation  marks  well  the  transition  to  this  new 
subject.  "While  I  am  on  this  subject  of  your  church-meetings, 
there  is  one  feature  with  respect  to  which  I  cannot  say  well  done. 
I  understand  that  your  gatherings  are  so  conducted  as  to  tend, 
not   to   your   improvement  but  to  your   deterioration." 

18.  Church  does  not  refer  to  a  building  but  to  the  congrega- 
tion. This  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  the  New  Testament. 
Divisions — cliques. 

19.  For  there  must  be  also  heresies.  The  general  moral 
condition  of  the  church  was  such  that  cliques  would  tend  to 
crystallize  into  parties  and  the  necessity  (must  be)  for  these  is 
in  the  providential  purpose  which  they  serve,  viz.,  of  bringing 
to  the  front  "approved  men,"  men  of  sterling  character,  who 

87 


11120     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

^  heresies  among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved 

2  0.    may  be  manifest  among  you.     When  therefore  ye 

assemble  yourselves  together,  it  is  not  possible  to 

21.  eat  the  Lord's  supper:  for  in  your  eating  each  one 
taketh  before  other  his   own   supper;    and   one  is 

22.  hungry,  and  another  is  drunken.  What?  have  ye 
not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in?  or  despise  ye  the 
2  church  of  God,  and  put  them  to  shame  that  ^  have 
not?    What  shall  I  say  to  you?    *  Shall  I  praise  you 

23.  in  this?     I  praise  you  not.     For  I  received  of  the 

^  SV,    factions.      _       -  Or,    congregation.    _  ^  Or,    have    n-othing. 

*  Or,   Shall  I  praise  yon?     In  this  I  praise  you  not. 

will    either   seek   to    establish    unity    or   keep    away    from    these 
lamentable  divisions. 

20.  In  view  of  these  divisions,  it  was  not  possible  for  them 
when  they  gathered  together  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper.  The 
emphasis  is  upon  the  word  "Lord's."  His  supper  was  meant  to 
inculcate  brotherly  love  and  fellowship.  They  were  emphasizing 
social  distinctions  and  selfish  satisfactions.     Verse  21  shows  how. 

21.  No  one  waited  for  another.  Those  who  had  abundant  sup- 
plies hurried  to  eat  them  without  regard  to  those  who  had  little. 
It  was  really  a  "private  supper"  for  each  one  with  the  disagree- 
able qualities  of  greed  and  unconcern  for  others'  need  character- 
izing it.  The  result  was  that  one  went  home  hungry,  while 
another  had  drunk  to  excess.     Even  decency  was  forgotten. 

22.  This  verse  is  full  of  indignant  emotion.  Its  full  force  may 
be  given  in  this  way:  "Surely  you  do  not  mean  to  say  that 
you  have  no  homes  in  which  to  eat  and  drink?  If,  then,  that  is 
not  true  (as  it  is  not)  the  only  alternative  is  that  you  despise 
the  church  of  God  and  put  them  to  shame  that  have  not.  There 
is  no  praise  for  such  conduct."  It  sadly  revealed  the  fact  that 
they  had  no  true  comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  the  supper 
which  the  Lord  had  instituted.  To  give  them  that  meaning  and 
thereby  show  its  wide  difference  from  a  feast  for  satisfying  physi- 
cal appetites,  Paul  recounts  the  institution  of  the  supper. 

23.  For  gives  the  reason  why  he  cannot  praise  them  and  points 
to  the  contrast  between  the  supper  which  had  come  to  be  through 
their  selfishness  and  the  supper  whose  institution  he  had  received 
from  the  Lord.  This  does  not  mean  that  what  he  is  to  give,  in 
the  words  which  follow  regarding  the  supper,  is  a  direct  revela- 
tion from  the  Lord,  but  rather  that  he  had  received  them  through 

88 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      11:24 

Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  how  the 

Lord  Jesus  in  the  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed 

24.    took   bread;    and   when   he   had   given    thanks,   he 

brake  it,  and  said.  This  is  my  body,  which  ^  is  for 

'  Many  ancient  authorities  read  is  broken  for  you. 

tradition.  They  had  been  communicated  to  him  by  his  fellow- 
Apostles  and  could  be  followed  up  to  Jesus  himself.  Paul  had 
received  them  and  in  earler  days  had  delivered  them  into  the 
Corinthian  church.  In  which  he  was  betrayed.  "There  is  an 
appearance  of  fixed  order,  especially  in  these  opening  words,  which 
indicates  that  this  had  already  become  a  familiar  formula." — 
Stanley.  Took  bread.  Bread  was  then  made  usually  in  the  form 
of  a  thin  round  cake  and  broken  for  eating.  This  is  my  body. 
As  Jesus  was  present  at  the  table  these  words  could  not  refer 
literally  to  his  earthly  body.  The  bread  represents  his  body. 
The  symbolic  use  of  the  word  "body"  is  confirmed  also  by  the 
statement  regarding  the  cup.  "This  cup  is  the  new  covenant  in 
my  blood."  An  insistence  upon  a  literal  understanding  of  these 
words  is  impossible.  "The  idea  that  the  language  implies  a 
miraculous  transformation  of  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine 
into  Christ's  veritable  body  and  blood,  or  the  equally  miracu- 
lous presence  in  these  elements  of  two  substances,  is  a  develop- 
ment of  sacramentarian  theology"  unwarranted  by  a  just 
interpretation  of  this  passage.  Which  is  for  you — for  your 
spiritual  life  and  your  salvation.  The  emphasis  is,  in  all  likeli- 
hood, upon  the  thought  of  His  sacrificial  death,  hence  has  crept 
into  some  texts  the  interpretation  "broken"  (which  is  broken 
for  you),  but  the  statement  as  in  our  text  is  wide  enough  to 
include  the  whole  incarnate  life  as  well — the  sacrificial  death. 
This  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  These  words  are  not  found 
in  the  accounts  of  the  supper  given  by  Mark  or  Matthew;  though 
Luke  has  them,  they  are  in  disputed  verses  (Lk.  22:i9b-2o). 
These  facts  have  led  some  interpreters  to  the  conclusion  that 
Paul  instituted  the  repeated  celebration  of  the  Eucharist.  This 
is  adequately  refuted  (i)  by  the  fact  that  in  the  early  church 
the  supper  had  been  repeatedly  observed.  Could  that  have  hap- 
pened without  an  express  command  of  Jesus?  (2)  Paul  expressly 
declares  that  he  is  delivering  to  them  what  he  had  received  (see 
vs.  23).  (3)  Nothing  less  than  the  authority  of  Christ  were 
sufficient  to  account  for  the  widespread  observance  of  the  rite. 
The  Lord's  supper  in  its  repeated  celebration  is  to  be  a  direct 
and  constant  reminder  of  the  Lord  as  their  and  our  Savior. 

89 


ii:25     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

25.  you:  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  In  like  manner 
also  the  cup,  after  supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the 
new  ^  covenant  in  my  blood :   this  do,  as  oft  as  ye 

26.  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me.  For  as  often  as  ye 
eat  this  bread,  and  drink  the  cup,  ye  proclaim  the 

27.  Lord's  death   till  he  come.     Wherefore  whosoever 

^  Or,  testament. 

25.  This  cup  is  the  new  covenant  in  my  blood.  The  wine 
in  the  cup  represents  his  blood  as  the  bread  represented  his  body. 
In  Mk.  14:23-24  it  reads:  He  gave  it  (the  cup)  to  them  and 
said,  "This  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant."  Paul  inserts  the  word 
"new"  or  "fresh"  before  covenant  and  Luke  follows  him  in  this. 
The  account  of  the  ratification  of  the  old  covenant  of  the  Law 
is  found  in  Ex.  24:6-8.  The  blood  of  the  covenant  victims  was 
sprinkled,  half  of  it  on  the  altar,  for  reconciliation;  half  of  it  on 
the  people  for  purification.  The  covenant  itself  promised  upon 
God's  side  protection  and  blessing;  on  the  side  of  the  people, 
obedience.  This  old  covenant  was  broken  by  the  disobedience 
of  Israel.  The  promise  of  a  new  covenant  is  in  Jer.  31:31, 
where  these  words  "new  covenant"  appear  for  the  only  time  in 
the  Old  Testament.  This  new  covenant  promised  a  universal 
knowledge  of  God  and  a  complete  forgiveness  (Heb.  8:8).  Par- 
don and  life  from  God  in  response  to  faith  from  man.  This  is 
the  covenant  which  Jesus  ratifies  with  His  blood  (Eph.  1:7). 
It  was  sealed  by  His  death.  It  is  well  just  here  to  bear  in 
mind  "that  the  center  of  the  symbolism  of  sacrifice  lies  not  in 
the  death  of  the  victim,  but  in  the  offering  of  its  life"  (Heb. 
9:14);  also  that  in  the  New  Testament  the  Blood  of  Christ 
always  "includes  the  thought  of  life  preserved  and  active  beyond 
death."  As  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  i.e.,  the  cup.  However  frequent 
the  occasion  they  must  remember  its  significance  as  connected 
with  Him.  These  words  are  a  rebuke  of  their  pathetic  for- 
getting. 

26.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat,  etc.  This  is  the  Apostle's  ex- 
planation of  the  command  in  the  verse  25.  Their  eating  and 
drinking  were  an  acted  proclamation  of  the  Lord's  death.  Till 
he  come.  Then  all  need  of  remembrance  will  be  over.  The 
hope  of  the  Lord's  return  was  very  vivid  in  the  early  church. 
Having  now  set  forth  the  solemn  significance  of  the  supper,  by 
giving  the  words  connected  with  its  original  institution  Paul 
turns  to  warn  them  about  partaking  unworthily. 

27.  Unworthily.     The  word  is  not  interpreted  unless  it  be  in 

90 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     11:31 

shall  eat  the  bread  or  drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord 
unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  the  blood 

28.  of  the  Lord.     But  let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so 

29.  let  him  eat  of  the  bread,  and  drink  of  the  cup.  For 
he  that  eateth  and  drinketh,  eateth  and  drinketh 
judgment  unto  himself,  if  he  ^  discern  not  the  body. 

30.  For  this  cause  many  among  you  are  weak  and  sickly 

31.  and  not  a  few  sleep.   But  if  we  ^  discerned  ourselves, 

^  Gr.,   discriminate.  ^  Gr.,   discriminated. 

"not  discerning  the  body"  (vs.  29)  but  the  general  conduct  of 
the  Corinthians  throws  light  upon  it.  Partaking  of  these  sym- 
bols of  the  Redeemer's  sacrifice  in  a  selfish,  unloving  spirit; 
treating  them  with  irreverence,  or  with  little  thought  of  that 
which  they  were  intended  to  bring  to  mind ;  making  them  the 
means  of  greed  or  excess — all  these  were  unworthy.  It  is  to 
be  noted  that  a  profanation  of  either  symbol — "eat  the  bread" 
or  "drink  the  cup"— makes  one  guilty.  Guilty  of  the  body  and 
the  blood.  They  are  chargeable  with  insulting  the  memorials 
of  Christ's  death  and  so  virtually  the  sacrificial  death  itself;  on 
the  same  principle  that  he  who  insults  his  country's  flag 
insults  his  country  and  is  a  traitor.  Irreverence  could  go  no 
further. 

28.  Prove  himself.  The  word  means  to  prove  in  order  to 
approve,  i.e.,  he  is  to  test  himself  to  see  whether  he  is  in  a  right 
frame  of  mind  to  partake,  and  in  case  of  finding  himself  not 
right,  to  put  himself  right. 

29.  For.  The  solemn  reason  for  testing  himself.  He  may 
eat  and  drink  judgment  unto  himself,  i.e.,  he  may  bring  upon 
himself  chastisement  such  as  is  indicated  in  verse  30.  If  he  dis- 
cern not  the  body,  i.e.,  if  he  judge  not  rightly  the  symbolic  sig- 
nificance of  the  bread  as  representing  the  body  of  the  incarnate 
and  crucified  Lord,  but  looks  upon  it  as  common  bread. 

30.  For  this  cause — this  inability  to  judge  rightly.  Weak 
and  sickly.  These  are  not  spiritual  troubles  but  physical  inflic- 
tions. Paul  attributes  them  directly  to  the  misuse  of  the  symbols 
without  indicating  any  intermediate  causes  such  as,  e.g.,  excess 
in  drinking.  It  was  in  accord  with  Jewish  belief  that  they  were 
sent  as  punishments  for  sin.     Sleep — a  euphemism  for  death. 

31.  If  we  discerned  ourselves,  i.e.,  judged  ourselves  rightly 
we  should  escape  the  judgment. 

91 


11:32     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

32.  we  should  not  be  judged.  But  ^  when  we  are  judged 
we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  may  not  be 

7,^.  condemned  with  the  world.  Wherefore,  my  breth- 
ren, when  ye  come  together  to  eat,  wait  for  one 

34.  another.  If  any  man  is  hungry,  let  him  eat  at  home; 
that  your  coming  together  be  not  unto  judgment. 
And  the  rest  will  I  set  in  order  whensoever  I  come. 

3.   The  Misuse  of  Spiritual  Gifts,  12:1 — 14:40 

12.        I.  Now  concerning  spiritual  gifts,  brethren,  I  would 
2.    not  have  you  ignorant.    Ye  know  that  when  ye  were 

^  Or,  when  we  are  judged  of  the  Lord  we  are  chastened. 

32.  Chastened.  This  is  the  consolation.  Judgment  is  the 
discipline  of  the  Lord  and  it  is  meant  to  save  us  from  being 
condemned  with  the  world  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

33.  Wherefore.  Summing  up  the  whole  matter  let  me  urge 
upon  you,  brethren,  two  rules  of  conduct.  When  you  come 
together  for  a  common  meal  which  has  a  spiritual  purpose  wait 
for  one  another.  Do  not  let  the  occasion  descend  to  the  level 
of  a  merely  carnal  feast. 

34.  Avoid  that  by  eating  at  home  if  any  of  you  are  hungry. 
Save  your  gatherings  together  from  that  exhibition  of  self- 
indulgence  which  is  fatal  to  true  fellowship  and  leads  to  judg- 
ment. The  rest.  Other  details  regarding  this  whole  matter  I 
will  arrange  when  I  come. 

In  the  previous  chapter  we  have  seen  how  the  Lord's  supper 
was  profaned  through  its  association  with  the  weekly  common 
meal  which,  originally  intended  to  foster  the  spirit  of  brother- 
hood, had  degenerated  into  an  occasion  for  the  exhibition  of  a 
most  unlovely  spirit.  In  this  chapter  we  are  to  look  upon  the 
church  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  edification.  In  some  private 
house  the  people  met  together,  the  men  sitting,  in  all  probability, 
on  one  side  of  the  room  and  the  women  on  the  other.  It  is  no 
indifferent  congregation,  as  Paul  pictures  it,  but  one  full  of  unre- 
strained enthusiasm.  Each  one  came  with  something  to  con- 
tribute— a  song  of  praise,  a  revelation,  a  tongue,  an  interpretation 
(vs.  26).  We  have  no  account  of  any  order  of  service;  indeed, 
there  seems  to  have  been  an  almost  untrammeled  liberty  of  wor- 
ship. In  this  lay  the  possibility  of  the  disorder  which  soon  de- 
veloped.    There    seems    also    to   have    been   no    such    recognized 

92 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       12:2 


leadership  as  could  firmly  control  the  ongoing  of  the  service. 
Paul  appeals  to  a  spirit  or  a  principle  of  action  rather  than  to  a 
given  leader,  to  maintain  order  and  secure  edification.  There  was 
much  to  stimulate  disorder.  There  were  those  who  loved  to 
speak,  especially  if  they  were  convinced  that  the  Spirit  was  urging 
them.  Anything  in  the  way  of  the  ecstatic  was  especially  valued. 
We  use  the  word  "spiritual"  to-day  to  mark  a  man  whose  life 
has  been  refined  and  uplifted  by  the  presence  of  God  within  him. 
The  "spiritual"  of  the  Corinthian  church,  as  well  as  among  the 
Jews  and  Pagans,  were  those  who  were  possessed  by  a  spirit  not 
their  own  who  used  them  as  instruments.  The  cleverest  sign  of 
the  presence  of  the  Spirit  (good  or  bad;  in  the  church  or  out  of 
it)  was  ecstasy.  In  the  church  it  should  of  course  be  a  good 
spirit  but  even  there  a  test  had  to  be  applied,  viz.:  whether  its 
possessor  recognized  Jesus  as  Lord  or  called  Him  accursed.  It  is 
only  in  a  clear  grasp  of  this  distinction  between  our  present  inter- 
pretation of  the  word  "spiritual"  and  that  applicable  to  the 
Corinthian  church  that  we  can  fully  understand  the  situation 
pictured  in  this  chapter.  As  the  ecstatic  was  proof  positive  of 
spirit  possession,  so  it  was  a  showy  gift  and  eagerly  desired.  It 
had  little  social  value,  as  it  did  not  minister  to  edification. 

Prophecy  also  was  an  exalted  form  of  utterance  akin  to  the 
ecstatic.  It  is  distinguished,  as  we  shall  see  later,  from  the 
ecstatic  gift  of  tongues,  by  its  intelligibility.  Much  after  the 
manner  of  those  who  in  recent  days  "get  the  power"  in  a  religious 
meeting,  these  ecstatics  would  break  forth  in  their  unintelligible 
utterances.  A  prophet  under  like  constraint  might  do  the  same, 
and  confusion  would  be  the  result.  How  imperatively  instruction 
was  needed.  God  could  not  be  the  author  of  confusion.  Social, 
not  individual  value,  must  be  the  standard  of  estimate,  the  guide 
to  action.  No  gifts  could  be  rightly  exercised  unless  under  the 
control  of  love.  Paul  in  no  way  underrates  the  power  of  the 
Spirit.  He  rejoices  in  its  manifest  presence  in  the  church.  His 
task  is  to  open  the  minds  of  those  who  had  their  conceptions  of 
spirit  possession  so  largely  from  heathen  manifestation  of  it  and 
who  needed  to  learn  with  what  different  aims  the  Spirit  of  God 
came  upon  them.  "The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  pri- 
marily a  gift  to  the  individual,  but  a  gift  to  the  church," 


a.  The  Test  (1-3),  Source  and  Purpose  (4-ii)  of  Spiritual  Gifts, 
12:1-11 

I.  Now   concerning    spiritual   gifts.     This   formula    (Now 
concerning,  etc.)  is  found  in  7:1,  7:25,  8:1,  16:1,  16:22  and  in- 


93 


12:3       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

Gentiles  ye  were  led  away  unto  those  dumb  idols, 
3.    however  ye  might  be  led.     Wherefore  ^  I  give  you 

^  SV,   I   make   knozvn   unto  you. 

troduces,  in  each  case,  an  answer  to  a  question  supposedly  in  a 
letter  of  the  Corinthians  to  Paul  asking  for  special  information 
and  guidance.  The  words  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant, 
expresses  Paul's  desire  to  clear  up  some  points  regarding  spiritual 
gifts  about  which  they  were  either  confused  or  in  the  dark.  The 
Greek  word  for  "spiritual  gifts"  can  be  masculine  and  be  trans- 
lated "spiritual  men."  A  number  of  modern  interpreters  so 
render  it,  but  the  emphasis  is  rather  upon  the  operations  of  the 
spirit  than  upon  the  position  of  spiritual  persons.  Both  ideas, 
however,  are  closely  associated. 

2.  Ye  were  led  away.  Their  idols  were  dumb,  incapable  of 
inspiring  them,  hence  no  impulse  came  from  them;  they  were 
rather  "under  control"  of  some  demonic,  capricious  influence 
which,  as  occasion  happened  (howsoever  ye  might  be  led), 
carried  them  away  into  heathen  ecstasies  in  connection  with  idol 
worship.  These  ecstatic  experiences  had  often  been  witnessed  in 
their  former  idolatry.*  They  knew  that  men  could  thus  be 
"carried  away"  by  supernatural  power.  How  were  they  to  be 
sure  that  the  same  evil  power  was  not  present  in  like  experi- 
ences within  the  Church?  Was  a  demonic  spirit  in  control  or 
the  Spirit  of  God? 

3.  Paul  in  his  answer  includes  not  only  "ecstatic  utterances" 
which  were  the  subject  of  the  Corinthian  questioning,  but  other 
operations  of  the  Spirit,  about  which  they  as  heathen  had  known 
nothing,  and  regarding  which  they  now  needed  instruction.  The 
mark  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  that  it  exalts  and 
honors  Jesus.  If  a  Jew  were  suddenly  to  cry  out  in  public 
worship  "Jesus  is  anathema  (accursed) !"  they  could  assuredly 
know  that  such  an  utterance  came  not  from  the  Spirit  of  God, 
On  the  other  hand  no  one  could  cry  out  in  rapture  "Jesus  is 
Lord!"  except  he  were  possessed  by  the  Spirit  (Jn.  16:14).  In 
either  case,  the  mere  saying  or  crying  out  is  not  meant,  but 

*  "In  Greece  the  excited  shoutings  of  the  Dionysos  ecstatic  had 
long  been  a  familiar  spectacle.  And  of  the  mystery  cults  ecstasy  in  its 
various  manifestations  formed  a  constant  feature.  The  god  (as  was 
thought)  descended  upon  the  mystic,  filled  him  with  his  spirit,  made 
him  a  prophet,  and  gave  him  revelations.  We  have  the  Apostle  himself 
for  a  witness  that  it  was  no  easy  task  to  distinguish  between  a 
glossalia  and  prophecy  that  were  spirit-inspired  and  such  as  were  devil- 
inspired." — Morgan,  Religion  and  Theology  of  Paul,  p.   176. 

94 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       12:6 

to  understand  that  no  man  speaking  in  the  spirit 
of  God  saith,  'Jesus  is  anathema;  and  no  man  can 
say  Jesus  is  Lord,  but  in  the  Holy  Spirit. 

4.  Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 

5.  Spirit.     And  there  are  diversities  of  ministrations, 

6.  and  the  same  Lord.     And  there  are  diversities  of 
workings,  but  the  same  God,  who  worketh  all  things 

the  saying  as  an  expression  of  a  genuine  heart  attitude  behind  it; 
in  one,  of  hatred  and  unbelief;  in  the  other,  of  faith  and  loyalty. 

4.  Diversities.  The  word  has  two  meanings,  an  active: 
"apportionings,"  "distributings";  a  passive:  "differences,"  "varie- 
ties." The  active  is  preferable  here  (see  vs.  11)  but  the  passive 
meaning  is  involved  and  the  whole  significance  is:  apportionings 
of  Himself  (the  Spirit)  in  diverse  endowments.  Gifts  (Charis- 
mata). A  Pauline  word  (elsewhere  only  i  Pet.  4:10)  meaning 
"Individual  capacities  or  excellences  laid  hold  on,  strength- 
ened, vivified  and  applied  by  the  Spirit  to  service  within  the 
community.  They  are  the  natural  capacities  which  men 
possess  apart  from  their  own  power  of  acquiring  them  and 
which  come  from  the  free  bounty  of  God  the  Creator.  Men 
are  not  all  alike;  their  capacities  and  natural  powers  differ; 
and  thus  when  the  Spirit  works  through  these  powers  there  is 
nothing  mechanical  in  the  activities  set  in  motion." — Lindsay. 

5-7.  Three  things  in  these  verses  deserve  attention:  (i)  The 
descriptions  diversities  of  ministrations  (vs.  5)  and  diversi- 
ties of  workings  (vs.  6).  These  are  not  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  gifts  of  vs.  4.  They  denote  the  same  thing  from  differ- 
ent points  of  view.  As  "ministrations"  the  gifts  are  viewed 
from  the  point  of  service  (of  which  there  are  many  kinds)  and 
they  are  all  appointed  by  the  one  Lord  and  are  for  His  glory ; 
as  "workings"  they  are  thought  of  from  the  side  of  immanent 
power  originating  in  God.  (2)  These  verses  suggest  a  Trini- 
tarian conception.  Spirit,  Lord  and  God  act  together  in  the 
bestowal  of  spiritual  gifts.  Paul  nowhere  attempts  to  set  forth 
the  inner  relations  of  the  Trinity,  but  he  gives  once  and  again 
a  "functional"  Trinity  (cf.  Eph.  4:6;  2  Cor.  13:14;  Rom.  8:9-10). 
(3)  All  these  gifts  are  for  the  good  of  the  Church.  To  each 
one  is  given  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  to  profit  withal. 
Whatever  his  special  gift,  or  kind  of  service,  he  is  to  make  mani- 
fest through  it  the  Spirit,  for  the  advantage  of  all.  It  would 
appear  that  very  few,  if  any,  of  the  members  of  the  church  were 
"giftless." 

95 


12.7       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

7.  in  all.     But  to  each  one  is  given  the  manifestation 

8.  of  the  Spirit  to  profit  withal.  For  to  one  is  given 
through  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wisdom;  and  to  an- 
other the  word  of  knowledge,  according  to  the  same 

9.  Spirit:  to  another  faith  in  the  same  Spirit;  and  to 
10.    another  gifts  of  healings,  in  the  one  Spirit;  and  to 

another  workings  of  ^  miracles;  and  to  another 
prophecy;  and  to  another  discemings  of  spirits:  to 
another  divers  kinds  of  tongues;  and  to  another  the 


^  Gr.,  powers. 


8.  For.  This  connects  with  "to  each  one  is  given"  and  nine 
classes  of  gifts  are  cited  as  illustrations  of  the  general  statement 
of  verse  7.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  classify  these 
gifts.  A  classification  is  suggested  by  the  Greek  text  which 
divides  them  into  3  groups:  (i)  Two  connected  with  "word" 
(speech) — the  word  of  wisdom  and  the  word  of  knowledge;  (2) 
five  connected  with  faith — faith  itself,  gifts  of  healings,  working  of 
miracles,  prophecy,  discernment  of  spirits;  (3)  two  concerned 
with  tongues — divers  kinds  of  tongues,  interpretation  of  tongues. 
The  word  of  Wisdom  is  the  gift  of  discoursing  about  the 
deep  things  of  God  and  of  His  ways  in  His  dealings  with  men 
(cf.  2:6).  These  can  be  known  only  through  the  Spirit.  The 
word  of  Knowledge.  The  speech  of  Knowledge  is  that  which 
sets  forth  the  grounds  and  interrelations  of  the  truths  of  faith. 
It  is  a  reasoned  presentation  of  truth.  When  it  is  according  to 
the  Spirit  and  for  the  help  of  others,  it  is  a  "gift."  These  are 
the  endowments  of  the  teacher. 

9.  Faith.  This  is  not  the  faith  which  marks  the  beginning  of 
the  Christian  life; — the  trustful  reliance  upon  God  which  under- 
lies daily  Christian  living.  In  this  aspect  of  it  faith  conditions 
all  the  gifts.  Here  it  is  a  wonder-working  faith,  a  faith  of 
"heroic  daring"  which  brings  great  things  to  pass  (cf.  Matt. 
17:20-21).  It  may  be,  and  probably  is,  a  generic  term  covering 
the  four  succeeding  gifts,  all  of  which  are  the  fruits  of  this 
potent  gift.  Gifts  of  healings.  The  plural  suggests  different 
classes  of  diseases  to  be  cured  (cf.  Acts  19:12;  28:8-9). 

10.  Workings  of  Miracles,  i.e.,  acts  of  power.  Instances  of 
these  are  casting  out  of  demons  and  inflicting  supernatural  judg- 
ments (see  5:5;  Acts  13:11;  i  Tim.  1-20).  Prophecy.  It  is  at 
first  surprising  that  this  gift  should  be  placed  where  it  is  in  the 

96 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     12:11 

II.  interpretation  of  tongues:  but  all  these  worketh  the 
one  and  the  same  Spirit,  dividing  to  each  one  sev- 
erally as  he  will. 


list  of  gifts.  It  seems  to  be  allied  rather  with  "the  word  of  wis- 
dom" and  "the  word  of  knowledge."  Two  reasons  may  be 
given  for  its  present  position.  It  is  a  gift  which  is  realized 
through  intensity  of  faith,  and  it  stands,  in  certain  of  its  as- 
pects, in  vivid  contrast  to  the  gift  of  tongues.  Prophecy  pre- 
supposed revelation;  it  might  be  based  upon  visions.  Prediction 
was  a  subordinate  part  of  it.  It  was  such  an  inspired  utterance 
of  revealed  truth  as  effected  "edification,  comfort  and  consola- 
tion" (14:3)  in  its  hearers.  It  might  be  attended  with  ecstasy 
but  it  was  always  intelligible  and,  in  this  respect,  was  in  sharp 
contrast  with  the  gift  of  tongues.  There  were  those  who  claimed 
the  prophetic  gift  who  were  really  false  prophets.  To  detect  and 
expose  such  was  the  peculiar  business  of  those  who  were  gifted 
with  the  discernings  of  spirits.  These  were  probably  prophets 
themselves,  already  known  and  approved  in  the  Church  (cf. 
14:29).  Divers  kinds  of  tongues.  This  strange  gift  seems 
to  have  been  coveted  eagerly  by  the  Corinthians.  Its  sensa- 
tional and  strong  character  appealed  to  their  vanity.  These 
tongues  were  ecstatic  utterances  which  were  unintelligible  unless 
interpreted,  and  hence  of  little  service  to  the  Church.  The  will 
of  the  speaker  was  overmastered  by  his  emotions;  intelligent 
thought  had  no  part  in  what  was  uttered.  The  different  kinds 
of  tongue-speech  may  have  been  in  their  different  forms  of 
utterance — disconnected  sentences,  disconnected  words,  or  single 
sounds,  making  by  their  general  tone  the  impression  of  prayer, 
or  of  praise.  In  no  case  ...  are  we  to  understand  by  "tongues" 
foreign  languages.  "For  he  that  speaketh  in  a  tongue  speaketh 
not  unto  men,  but  unto  God:  for  no  man  understandeth" 
(14:2),  This  could  not  be  said  of  any  man  speaking  in  a 
foreign  language.  Whatever  profit  was  to  be  had  from  these 
ecstatic  powers  could  come  only  to  the  subject  of  them  himself, 
unless  an  interpreter  were  present.  If  no  interpreter  was  at  hand 
the  gift  were  best  exercised  in  soHtude.  The  whole  subject  has 
gained  new  interest  from  the  modern  study  of  psychology.* 

II.  The  rich  endowment  of  the  Corinthian  Church  is  seen  in 
this  list  of  spiritual  gifts.  They  all  have  a  common  origin — the 
Spirit — and  He  distributes  them  as  He  will,  but  that  does  not 
mean  arbitrarily;  He  considers  the  capacity  of  each  one. 

*  See   Lake:   The   Earlier   Epistles  of  Paul,   p.    241. 

97 


I2:i2     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

12.  For  as  the  body  is  one  and  hath  many  members, 
and  all  the  members  of  the  body,  being  many,  are 

13.  one  body;  so  also  is  Christ.  For  in  one  Spirit  were 
we  all  baptized  into  one  body  whether  Jews  or 
Greeks,  whether  bond  or  free;  and  were  all  made  to 


b.    The   Analogy   Between   the   Church   and   the   Human  Body, 
12:12-31 

Thus  far  the  Apostle  has  made  emphatic  the  one  source  of 
the  diverse  gifts  of  the  Spirit  and  the  one  purpose  for  which 
they  are  given,  viz.,  service.  This  unity  in  diversity  is  like  that 
of  the  human  body.  One  life  moves  its  different  members  all 
of  which  have  as  their  common  purpose  its  preservation  and 
well-being.  This  analogy  of  the  Church  and  the  human  body 
is  particularized  in  five  points,  (i)  The  Church,  like  the  body, 
is  a  unity  (12-13).  (2)  The  Church,  like  the  body,  has  many 
members  (14-16).  (3)  The  various  members  are  needful  to  the 
completeness  of  the  body,  indeed,  to  the  very  idea  of  the  body 
(17-20).  (4)  All  the  members,  whether  conspicuous  or  other- 
wise, are  needful  to  each  other  (21-25).  (5)  All  the  members 
suffer  or  rejoice  with  one  member  in  suffering  or  in  joy  (26). 
Having  thus  fully  drawn  out  the  analogy,  he  makes  direct  appli- 
cation of  it  to  the  Church  (27-30). 

12.  So  also  is  Christ.  The  "body"  as  a  figurative  descrip- 
tion of  the  Church  is  a  favorite  of  Paul.  "In  Ephesians  and 
Colossians  it  becomes  a  fixed  title  for  the  Christian  community." 
Why  "Christ"  in  this  clause  and  not  "Church"?  Because  Christ 
is  not  regarded  here  as  the  head  of  the  body,  the  Church  (see 
vs.  21),  but  rather  as  the  unifying  life  of  the  whole  body — the 
Church.  Church,  in  this  connection,  must  not  be  limited  in 
thought  to  the  Corinthian  church  "except  as  each  Christian  com- 
munity is  the  universal  church  in  miniature." 

13.  For  gives  the  reason  for  the  last  clause  of  verse  12.  In 
one  spirit.  The  Spirit  is  the  means  by  which,  through  bap- 
tism, they  were  incorporated  into  one  body.  How  widely  sepa- 
rated originally  were  those  who  were  brought  into  a  spiritual 
unity — Jews,  Greeks,  freemen,  slaves  (cf.  Gal.  3:28).  Baptism 
has  "social  significance."  Made  to  drink  of  one  spirit.  This 
does  not  refer  to  the  Eucharist.  The  figure  is  of  plants  drenched 
with  water,  or  of  irrigated  fields.  The  reference  is  probably  to 
baptism.     Godet  refers  it  to  spiritual  gifts. 

98 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     12:21 

14.  drink  of  one  Spirit.     For  the  body  is  not  one  mem- 

15.  ber,  but  many.  If  the  foot  shall  say  Because  I  am 
not  the  hand,  I  am  not  of  the  body;  it  is  not  there- 

16.  fore  not  of  the  body.  And  if  the  ear  shall  say,  Be- 
cause I  am  not  the  eye  I  am  not  of  the  body;  it  is 

17.  not  therefore  not  of  the  body.  If  the  whole  body 
were  an  eye,  where  were  the  hearing?     If  the  whole 

18.  were  hearing,  where  were  the  smelling?  But  now 
hath  God  set  the  members,  each  one  of  them  in  the 

19.  body  even  as  it  pleased  him.    And  if  they  were  all 

20.  one  member,  where  were  the  body?     But  now  they 

21.  are  many  members,  but  one  body.  And  the  eye 
cannot  say  to  the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee:  or 
again  the  head  to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you. 

15-16.  These  verses  have  in  mind  those  who,  because  their 
gifts  were  of  the  less  noticeable  kind,  were  disposed  to  deny 
virtually  that  they  were  members  of  the  body — the  Church — by 
keeping  aloof,  dissatisfied  or  discouraged  because  they  were  not 
more  important.  "If  the  foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the 
hand,  I  am  not  of  the  body ;  that  does  not  make  it  no  part  of 
the  body."  The  point  is  that  the  humble  members  as  well  as  the 
more  honored  are  all  members  of  the  body.  Each,  because  of 
this  fact,  must  perform  his  function  to   the  best  of  his  ability. 

17-20.  The  membership  of  all  is  further  argued  from  the  fact 
that  multiformity  is  of  the  essence  of  organic  life.  Varied  mem- 
bers with  varied  functions  are  essential  not  only  to  the  complete- 
ness of  the  body  ("If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  or  the 
whole  hearing,"  etc.)  but  also  to  the  very  idea  of  body  as  God 
made  it  for  He  it  is  who  "set  the  members,  each  one  of  them, 
in  the  body  even  as  it  pleased  Him  (18).  How  unchristian, 
then,  is  jealousy  or  discouragement!  On  the  contrary,  what 
comfort  there  is  in  the  realization  that  one's  gift  and  place  are 
God's  allotment  for  one's  contribution   to  service ! 

21-25.  Thus  far  Paul  has  considered  the  humbler  members. 
Now  he  writes  with  the  more  gifted  ones  in  view.  As  there  was 
no  reason  for  jealousy  and  aloofness  on  one  side,  so  was  there 
no  ground  for  pride  and  contempt  on  the  other. 

21.  The  eye  cannot  say  to  the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of 
thee,  etc.  One  member  cannot  do  the  work  of  another,  nor  can 
it    be   completely   independent.     It    functions    in    a   body    whose 

99 


12  122     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

22.  Nay,  much  rather,  these  members  of  the  body  which 

23.  seem  to  be  more  feeble  are  necessary:  And  those 
parts  of  the  body  which  we  think  to  be  less  honor- 
able, upon  these  we  ^  bestow  more  abundant  honor; 
and  our  uncomely  parts  have  more  abundant  comeli- 

24.  ness;  whereas  our  comely  parts  have  no  need:  but 
God  tempered  the  body  together  giving  more  abun- 

25.  dant  honor  to  that  part  which  lacked;  that  there 
should  be  no  schism  in  the  body;  but  that  the  mem- 
bers should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another. 

26.  And  whether  one  member  suffereth  all  the  members 

^  Or,    put    on. 

parts  are  all  closely  interrelated.  The  parts  may  not  be  equal 
in  importance,  but  no  one  of  them  can  isolate  itself.  What 
would  the  feet  do  if  the  eyes  were  not  at  their  service? 

22.  If  it  can  be  said  of  the  eye  and  the  ear  and  the  hand  that 
they  are  necessary,  with  stronger  reason  (much  rather)  may  it 
be  said  of  those  that  are  feeble. 

23.  Paul  does  not  name  these  necessary  feeble  members,  nor 
those  which  he  speaks  of  as  "less  honorable"  or  "uncomely" 
(23).  All  three  adjectives  may  refer  to  the  same  parts  under 
different  points  of  view.  Whatever  they  were,  the  emphasis  is 
upon  the  fact  that  they  all  are  necessary  to  the  body  and  we 
compensate  them  for  their  "less  honorable"  relation  or  their 
"uncomeliness"  by  bestowing  upon  them  "more  abundant 
honor"  in  the  care  and  protection  given  them  by  proper  cloth- 
ing.    They  are  thus  shown  exceptional  respect. 

24.  It  was  God  who  tempered  the  body  together,  i.e., 
blended  its  parts  into  one  organic  whole,  by  giving  more  abun- 
dant honor  to  that  part  which  lacked.  By  this  is  meant  that 
the  instincts  of  decency  and  self-respect,  shown  in  the  clothing 
of  the  body,  were  implanted  by  God. 

25.  In  this  His  purpose  was  that  there  should  be  no  divided 
interests  in  the  body  but  that  all  its  members  should  have  ma- 
terial concern  for  each  other's  welfare. 

26.  And  so  (as  a  result  of  blending  the  parts  into  one  organic 
whole)  the  suffering  of  one  involves  the  suffering  of  all;  the 
honoring  of  one,  the  joy  of  all.  While  all  the  statements  made 
in  24-26  refer  primarily  to  the  physical  body  it  is  evident  that 
Paul's  language  is  colored  by  the  thought  of  the  spiritual  body 
— the  Corinthian  membership. 

100 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     12:28 


suffer  with  it;  or  one  member  is  ^honored,  all  the 

27.  members  rejoice  with  it.     Now  ye  are  the  body  of 

28.  Christ  and  =^  severally  members  thereof.     And  God 
hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondly 

1  Or,   glorified.  '  Or,  members  each  in   his  part. 


27.  The  body  of  Christ.  Collectively  they  are  Christ's  body 
"in  the  sense  that  each  Christian  community  is  the  universal 
church  in  miniature"  (see  vs.  12);  severally,  i.e.,  individually 
they  are  apportioned  members  of  His  body.  With  this  verse 
begins  the  application  of  the  figure  (developed  in  vss.  14-26)  in 
detail  to  the  Church.  ^    ,    .      t. 

28  The  Church.  The  church  universal.  God  hath  set. 
Hath  placed  for  His  own  use.  In  the  list  which  follows  two 
particulars  are  to  be  noted:  (i)  The  eight  functions  of  8-10  are 
replaced  by  eight  which  are  partly  identical,  partly  different.* 
"Discernings  of  spirits"  and  "interpretations  of  tongues"  are 
wanting  (though  see  30)  and  "helps  and  governments"  are  added. 
Persons  are  named  rather  than  function  in  i,  2,  3.  (2)  The 
functions  are  given  in  the  order  of  their  rank  and  value.  Apostles 
are  first,  tongues  last.  The  Corinthian  estimate  was  just  the 
opposite.     They   glorified   the   ecstatic  rather   than   the   rational. 

Apostles.  Not  simply  the  Twelve,  but  all  those  who  had 
been  witnesses  of  the  living  Christ  and  who  had,  under  a  com- 
mission from  Him,  given  themselves  to  be  Missionary  preachers 
of  His  gospel  (cf.  Acts  14:14.  Rom.  16:7,  Gal.  1:9;  and  see 
Lightfoot,  Galatians,  p.  92).  .  ,  .      ,      r-u  • 

Prophets.  The  prophets  found  their  sphere  within  the  Chris- 
tian communities  which  the  Apostles  had  founded.  Their  in- 
spired utterances  regarding  "the  divine  counsels  and  hidden  mys- 

•  1.  Cor.    12:8  I-  Cor.    12:28 

Word  I-  Apostles 

3.   leachers 

1.  Word  of  Wisdom 

2.  Word   of   Knowledge  5.  Gifts  of   Healings 
_  .^,                                                        4.   Miracles 

^31**^  2.  Prophets 

3.  Gifts   of   Healing 

4.  Workings  of  Miracles  6.  Helps 

7    Proohecv  7-   Governments 

6.  Discernings   of  Spirit  8.  Divers   Kinds   of   Tongues 

Tongues 


7.  Divers  Kinds  of   Tongues 

8.  Interpretation    of    Tongues 


lOI 


12  129     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

prophets,  thirdly  teachers,  then  ^  miracles,  then  gifts 

29.  of  healings,   helps,   ^  governments,  divers  kinds   of 
tongues.    Are  all  apostles?     Are  all  prophets?    Are 

30.  all  teachers?     Are  all  workers  of  ^  miracles?     Have 
all  gifts  of  healings?     Do  all  speak  with  tongues? 

31.  Do  all  interpret?     But  desire  earnestly  the  greater 

1  Gr.,    pozuers.  ^  Or,    wise   counsels. 

teries  of  faith"  were  effective,  in  bringing  edification.  They  were 
listened  to  as  men  who  spoke  in  the  name  of  God  and  with  His 
authority.  A  prophet  might  not  be  an  Apostle,  generally  was 
not,  but  an  Apostle  was  almost  of  necessity  a  prophet  (cf.  vs. 
10). 

Teachers.  Their  "gift"  was  to  instruct  their  fellow-believers, 
not  through  immediate  revelations,  as  did  the  prophets,  but  by 
explaining  what  had  been  revealed,  grounding  the  Church  in  the 
principles  of  Christian  faith  and  life  and  training  the  young  in 
ways  of  Christian  righteousness  and  service.  The  teacher's  work 
was  local.  No  hard  and  fast  line  can  be  drawn  between  the 
functions  of  Apostle,  prophet,  and  teacher.  An  Apostle  was 
gifted  in  all  three  ways.  A  prophet  could  be  a  teacher  and  a 
teacher  at  times  might  manifest  the  gift  of  prophecy. 

Miracles.  It  is  noteworthy  that  these  are  placed  after  teach- 
ers. The  Corinthians  would  have  estimated  them  more  highly  on 
account  of  their  striking  character.  Gifts  of  healings.  Helps. 
Various  ways  of  assisting  the  sick  or  the  poor  of  the  Church.  The 
word  is  found  often  in  petitions  to  the  Ptolemies.  It  suggests  here 
assistance  given  by  those  who  were  appointed  for  this  purpose. 
Aptitude  for  this  service  was  the  gift.  Governments.  The  word 
originally  signified  "piloting  a  ship,"  hence  points  to  those  who 
were  skilled  in  administration.  This  function  became,  later,  that 
of  the  ecclesiastical  Bishop,  as  did  "helps"  that  of  the  ecclesiastical 
diaconate.  "We  are  dealing,  here,  with  gifts  rather  than  with  the 
offices  which  grew  out  of  the  gifts."  Divers  kinds  of  tongues. 
They  are  placed  last,  as  of  least  value.  The  principle  of  order 
Paul  here  follows  in  enumerating  the  gifts  is  that  of  their  im- 
portance. 

29-30.  All  these  questions  expect  the  answer  "No,"  and  are 
meant  to  indicate  that  no  one  is  by  himself  sufficient  for  the  life 
of  the  Church.  "The  body  is  not  one  member  but  many" 
(14).  "Ye  are  the  body  of  Christ  and  severally  members 
thereof"  (27).    The  questions  have  these  two  statements  in  view, 

31.  Desire  earnestly  the  greater  gifts.     Continue  earnestly 

102 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     12:31 

gift:  and  ^  a  still  more  excellent  way  shew  I  unto 
you. 

'  SV,  and  moreover  a  most  excellent  way. 

to  desire  the  greater  gifts.  But  has  not  "the  Spirit  divided  to 
each  one  severally  as  he  will  (11)?  Yes,  but  the  "greater  gifts" 
to  which  Paul  refers  have  to  do  "with  the  inspired  exercise  of 
conscious  faculties."  These  conscious  faculties  might  be  trained 
through  prayer  and  discipline  for  the  higher  gift.  No  selfish  de- 
sire, however,  must  prompt  the  training  but  only  a  self-forgetful 
longing  to  serve  the  Church.  Such  longing  with  its  attending 
culture  might  be  the  condition  of  the  bestowal  of  the  greater 
gifts.  And  a  still  more  excellent  way  I  show  unto  you. 
The  connection  here  is  somewhat  difficult.  This  last  sentence 
were  best  taken  with  chapter  13.  It  is  a  "way,"  "a  super- 
excellent  way,"  that  is  now  spoken  of,  not  a  gift,  though  love  is, 
of  course,  the  direct  fruitage  of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  heart  (Gal.  5:22;  Rom.  5:5;  15:30;  2  Cor.  5:14).  This 
"way"  is  set  forth  not  simply  as  a  means  for  securing  the  greater 
gifts,  but  rather  as  that  whereby  all  gifts  will  truly  become  a 
blessing.  It  is  higher  and  better  than  all  gifts.  It  is  a  spirit  or 
temper  impelling  and  controlling  the  exercise  of  all  gifts.  As 
such  "it  shuts  out  from  the  earnest  desiring  of  the  best  gifts  all 
unworthy  passions  and  insures  the  good  of  the  Church  in  the 
exercise  of  every  gift." — Heinrici. 

13.  Before  entering  upon  our  study  of  this  chapter  it 
will  be  helpful  to  note  several  characteristics  of  the  eulogy 
as  a  whole.  ( i )  It  is  not  written  in  plain  prose.  There 
is  a  stately  movement  in  it  and  a  certain  rhythm.  This 
is  more  clearly  seen  in  some  of  the  modern  renderings  of 
it,  e.g.,  Way's,  Moffett's,  Harnack's.  It  is  the  outcome  of 
exalted  emotion  and  is  in  itself  a  veritable  "prophecy." 
An  illustration  of  the  poetic  form  will  be  seen  in  the 
following  rendering  of  verses  1-3  by  Arthur  S.  Way  (The 
Letters  of  St.  Paul  and  Hebrews,  p.  50) : 

Though  with  all  tongues  of  men  I  speak,  yea  of  Angels, 

And  have  not  Love 

I  have  become  clanging  brass  or  clashing  cymbal. 

Yea  though  I  have  utterance  inspired. 
Though  I  fathom  all  mystic  secrets,  have  full  illumination, 

103 


13:1       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

Though  I  have  utter  faith,  such  as  might  move  mountains  from 
their  seats, 

And  have  not  Love 

Nothing  am  I. 
And  though  I  dole  away  in  charity  all  my  goods, 
And  though  I  yield  up  my  body  to  a  death  of  fire 

And  have  not  Love 

Nothing  it  availeth  me. 

Again,  (2)  The  chapter  is  marked  by  fine  delicacy 
and  courtesy.  It  was  the  loveless  character  of  so  much 
of  the  life  of  the  Corinthian  church  that  impressed  upon 
the  mind  of  Paul  their  fundamental  need  and  yet,  as  Pro- 
fessor Ramsay  remarks,  "By  a  skilful  use  of  the  first  and 
the  third  person  he  avoids  suggesting  either  that  the 
Corinthians  are  lacking  in  love  or  that  he  himself  pos- 
sesses it." — The  Teaching  of  Paid  in  Terms  of  the  Pres- 
ent Day,  p.  333.  (3)  The  only  adequate  accounting 
for  the  exalted  features  of  love  here  presented  is  in 
Jesus  Himself.  He  alone  of  all  mortals  fills  out  the  char- 
acter of  love  as  set  forth  in  verses  4-7.  Virtually  they 
give  a  portrait  of  him.  Paul's  epistles  have  been  searched 
for  evidence  of  his  knowledge  of  the  earthly  life  of  our 
Lord.  This  section  of  this  chapter  should  certainly  have 
its  place  in  that  evidence.  (4)  The  chapter  may  be 
divided  into  three  parts:  (i)  The  Indispensability  of 
Love  (1-3),  (2)  Its  Characteristics  (4-7),  (3)  Its  Dura- 
bility (8-13). 

The  Indispensability  of  Love,  its  Characteristics  and  its 
Durability,  13:1-13 

13.        I.  If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels 
but  have  not  love,  I  am  become  sounding  brass,  or  a 

I.  Tongues  of  men  and  angels.  The  gift  of  ecstatic 
utterance  which  the  Corinthians  so  highly  prized.  He  adds 
"angels"  in  order  to  include  the  highest  form  of  rapturous  ex- 
pression. No  power  of  ecstatic  utterance,  no  matter  how  exalted, 
is  of  any  value  without  love.  It  is  like  the  senseless  noise  made 
by  sounding  brass  or  a  clanging  cymbal.     Gongs  and  cym- 

104 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        13:3 

2.  clanging  cymbal.  And  if  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy 
and  know  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge;  and  if  I 
have  all  faith,  so  as  to  remove  mountains,  but  have 

3.  not  love,  I  am  nothing.     And  if  I  bestow  all  my 

bals  were  much  used  in  pagan  worship  in  Paul's  day.  Love. 
This  word  has  a  broad  meaning.  It  includes  the  "love  of  the 
will"  as  well  as  the  love  of  the  affections,  and  thus  connotes 
"moral  affection,"  expressed  in  deeds  of  kindness  and  good  will. 
Love  of  the  affections  cannot  be  commanded;  this  can.  We 
can,  in  this  way,  love  even  our  enemies  (Matt.  5:44).  "It  is  no 
mere  sentiment  or  excitement  of  feeling,  but  is  connected  in 
both  Testaments  with  an  obedient  will."  Charity,  because  of  its 
limited  meaning,  no  longer  gives  adequate  interpretation  of  the 
original. 

2.  Prophecy.  The  gift  of  inspired  utterance  which  edifies. 
Mysteries.  The  word  "mystery"  is  a  favorite  of  Paul  and  de- 
notes a  plan  or  counsel  of  God  which  remains  secret  until  He 
reveals  it.  The  reference  here  is  to  the  mysteries  (the  purposes 
of  God  revealed)  regarding  redemption  (cf.  2:7-10).  All  knowl- 
edge, which  comes  from  investigation  and  thought  and  brings 
an  understanding  of  redemption.  All  faith,  i.e.,  faith  in  its  in- 
tensest  form — capable  of  removing  mountains  (cf.  12:9;  Matt. 
17:20;   21:21). 

Prophecy  was  in  Paul's  judgment  the  highest  gift.  Teaching 
ranked  next  to  it  and  such  a  faith  as  removed  difficulties  could 
justly  be  held  in  high  honor,  but  without  love  cooperating  with 
and  in  them,  he  who  exercised  the  gift  or  gifts  was  spiritually 
nil  (cf.  Matt.  7:22-23).  The  possible  misuse  of  such  high  en- 
dowments should  cause  earnest  reflection. 

3.  In  this  verse  Paul  passes  to  the  administrative  gifts. 
Bestow,  more  vividly,  dole  out  my  possessions  to  help  the 
poor.     To   be   burned.*     This   cannot   refer   to  martyrdom   at 

*  The  other  reading  "that  I  may  glory"  is  supported  by  such 
strong  textual  authority  and  is  accepted  by  so  many  interpreters,  that 
it  is  but  just  to  give  its  meaning.  The  following  points  will  give  in 
brief  the  notable  points  of  the  interpretation:  (i)  The  clause  belongs 
to  both  suppositions  of  verse  3.  (2)  The  thought  of  "glorying"  in 
reference  to  "the  day  of  the  Lord"  when  all  shall  stand  before  Him. 
(3)  The  distributions  of  one's  possessions  and  the  sacrifice  of  one's  life 
may  be  true  reasons  for  glorying  in  the  prtsence  of  God.  (4)  Even 
such  glorying,  like  prophesying  and  knowing  all  mysteries,  may  be 
profitless  when  love  is  wanting.  The  verse,  with  this  understanding 
of  its  parts,  may  be  given  in  this  way:  "If  I  should  give  all  my 
goods,  piece  by  piece,  and  even  if  I  were  to  offer  my  body,  that  I 
might  glory, — that  is,  that  I  might  have  a  ground  for  glorying  in  the 
day  of  God — but  had  not  love,   it  would   profit  me  nothing." — Harnack. 


13:4       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  if  I  give  my  body  ^  to  be 
burned  but  have  not  love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing. 

4.  Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind;  love  envieth  not; 

5.  love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  its  own,  is  not 

6.  provoked,  taketh  not  account  of  evil;  rejoiceth  not 

^  Many  ancient  authorities  read  that  I  may  glory. 

the  stake  for  that  came  later  than  the  time  of  Paul's  writing. 
The  supposition  of  such  an  extreme  form  of  sacriiSce  may  have 
been  suggested  by  the  remembrance  of  instances  of  it  in  the 
history  of  the  Jews  (see  Dan.  3:28;  2  Mac.  7:5  ff.).  It  profiteth 
me  nothing.  To  speak  with  tongues,  without  love,  is  to  bring 
forth  nothing;  to  have  prophecy  and  to  know  all  mysteries, 
without  love,  is  to  be  nothing;  to  give  up  possessions  or  life, 
without  love,  is  to  gain  nothing.  One's  gifts  may  be  of  value 
to  others;  spiritually  valueless  to  himself. 

4.  Love  is  now  personified  and  its  characteristics  here  set 
forth  are  not  chosen  at  random,  but  suggested  by  the  state  of 
the  church.  Suffereth  long,  is  patient  under  provocation,  slow 
to  anger,  and  controls  resentment.  Kind.  Only  here  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  marks  love  as  always  ready  to  be  of  service  to 
others;  "it  is  the  victory  over  idle  selfishness  and  comfortable 
self-pleasing."  Love  envieth  not — is  neither  envious  nor  jeal- 
ous. The  verb  has  both  meanings.  Envy,  always  a  base  pas- 
sion, is  aroused  by  seeing  another  have  that  which  it  wants  it- 
self. Jealousy  is  awakened  by  fear  of  losing  what  it  has. 
Vaunteth  not  itself.  Keeps  away  from  ostentation,  makes  no 
display.  Is  not  puffed  up, — is  not  swollen  with  self-conceit, 
does  not  strut  about  in  false  pride. 

5.  Doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly.  This  word  has  a  range 
of  meaning  from  simple  thoughtlessness  in  conduct  to  the  worst 
forms  of  impurity  (Rom.  1:27).  In  all  of  it  there  is  a  selfish 
element  and  also  a  lack  of  wisdom.  Women  praying  unveiled  in 
public  worship  (11:5),  eating  one's  own  supper  at  the  common 
meal  regardless  of  others  (11:21)  are  instances  of  such  unseemly 
conduct.  Its  corrective  is  found  in  Eph.  5:15.  Provoked  to 
anger,  exasperated. 

6.  Taketh  not  account  of  evil  by  storing  it  up  in  the 
memory  as  a  debt  in  an  account  book.  Rejoiceth  not  in  un- 
righteousness, but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth.  The  wrong- 
doing of  others,  even  if  it  bring  gain,  can  never  be  a  matter  of 
joy  to  Love;  her  rejoicing  is  with  the  Truth  (here  personified), 

106 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     13:11 


7.  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth; 
1  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all 

8.  things,  endureth  all  things.  Love  never  faileth:  but 
whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  be  done 
away;  whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease; 
whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  be  done  away. 

9.  For  we  know  in  part  and  we  prophesy  in  part;  but 

10.  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  that  which  is 

11.  in  part  shall  be  done  away.     When  I  was  a  child 


^  Or,    covereth. 


i.e.,  with  truth  as  realized  in  human  conduct;   in  other  words, 
with  right  conduct.  . 

7.  Beareth,  i.e.,  in  patient  self-control  it  puts  up  with  all 
those  things  which  might  awaken  anger  or  sorrow.  Believeth. 
This  is  the  opposite  of  being  suspicious  of  men's  motives  and 
purposes.  Love  credits  them  good  intentions  until  it  is  clear 
that  they  are  otherwise.  It  trusts.  When  the  evidence  pre- 
vents it  from  "believing  the  best,"  then  it  hopes  for  the  best. 
Hopeth  all  things.  If  these  hopes  fail,  then  it  holds  courage- 
ously on  against  disappointment  or  ingratitude  or  whatever  it 
may  be  that  affronts  it;  it  endureth  all  things. 

8.  Love  never  faileth.  Verse  7  leads  up  naturally  to  this 
statement.  Its  everlasting  nature  is  now  contrasted  with  the 
temporary  character  of  spiritual  gifts.  Prophecies  shall  be 
"done  away,"  knowledge  shall  be  done  away  and  tongues  shall 
stop.     Why? 

9-10.  (i)  Because  our  prophesyings  and  knowledge  are  par- 
tial (in  part)  and  limited.  They  are  all  that  we  can  hope  to 
have  in  our  immaturity  and  imperfection.  (2)  Because  when 
the  Lord  comes  and  shall  usher  in  the  perfection  of  the  other 
world,  "the  partial"  shall  be  done  away.  Fragmentary  revela- 
tions and  fragmentary  understandings  of  truth  will  be  super- 
seded by  truth  in  its  completeness.  The  gift  of  tongues  is 
omitted  from  verse  9.  Speaking  with  tongues  cannot,  like 
prophecy  and  knowledge,  give  place  to  something  higher  of  a 
like  kind.    It  simply  ceases.  .     .„     .    .  j 

II.  This  change  from  the  partial  to  the  perfect  is  illustrated 
by  the  contrast  between  childhood  and  manhood.  The  thought 
is  not  of  the  development  from  one  stage  into  the  other  but  of 
the  antithesis  between  them.  When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake,  felt 
and  thought  as  a  child.    Now  that  I  am  become  a  man  I  have 

107 


13:12     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

I  spake  as  a  child,  I  felt  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a 
child:  now  that  I  am  become  a  man,  I  have  put 

12.  away  childish  things.  For  now  we  see  in  a  mirror 
^darkly;  but  then  face  to  face.  Now  I  know  in 
part ;  but  then  shall  I  ^  know  even  as  also  I  have 

13.  been  ^  known.  But  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love, 
these  three ;  *  and  the  ^  greatest  of  these  is  love. 

^  Gr.,    in   a   riddle.         ^  Gr.    and   SV,    know  fully.         ^  Gr.   and    SV, 

*  Or,    but  greater   than   these.  '  Gr.,   greater. 

put  away  childish  things.    That  period  of  life  was  brought  to 
an  end. 

12.  A  second  illustration  is  from  the  use  of  the  polished,  metal 
mirrors  for  which  Corinth  was  noted.  They  were  made  of  bronze 
or  silver.  The  art  of  silvering  glass  was  a  discovery  of  the 
thirteenth  century.  A  cheap  bronze  mirror  could  give  but  a  poor 
reflection  of  the  face  of  a  friend;  not  comparable  in  satisfactori- 
ness  with  looking  directly  into  his  face.  In  this  world  we  can 
know  of  God  and  His  ways  only  through  the  imperfect  medium 
of  human  life  and  history.  We  cannot  look  directly  upon  spir- 
itual realities.  Our  present  knowledge  of  Him  as  compared  with 
that  which  we  shall  have  "when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come" 
is  like  the  dim,  baffling  reflections  of  the  mirror  (margin,  in  a 
riddle*).  The  emphasis  of  the  illustration  is  again  upon  con- 
trast— the  contrast  between  the  present  and  the  future.  Paul  is 
not  denying  the  value  of  prophesyings  and  knowledge,  partial 
though  they  may  be.  He  is  simply  viewing  them  from  another 
point  of  view.  As  also  I  have  been  known,  i.e.,  intuitively, 
directly,  fully,  so  shall  I  know  in  that  blessed  future.  It  has 
been  truly  said  that  "Paul  lives  much  in  the  problem  that  is 
presented  by  the  relation  of  our  knowledge  of  God  to  God's 
knowledge  of  us"  (cf.  8:2-3). 

13.  Now,  logical,  not  temporal — "as  the  fact  is"  (cf.  12:18,  20). 
In  contrast  to  spiritual  gifts  which  shall  be  done  away,  faith, 
hope  and  love  shall  go  on  into  the  endless  perfect  future.  These 
three,  i.e.,  only  these  three,  abide  forever.  Faith  here  is  to  be 
understood  as  self-commitment  to  God  in  holy  trust;  hope,  as 
that  anticipation  inseparable  from  growth  and  progress  in  the 
life  beyond  where  the  mind  shall  ever  "catch  new  perspectives 

*  In  Num.  12:8  God  declares  that  He  will  speak  with  Moses  mouth 
to  mouth  plainly  and  not  in  riddles.  If  this  be  the  origin  of  Paul's 
figure  he  has  applied  it  to  sight  rather  than  to  speech  and  its  force 
may  be  given  by  the  word   "baffling." 

108 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       14 '.2 


CHAPTER  14 

In  the  previous  chapter  the  indispensability  of  love  as 
the  governing  principle  in  connection  with  spiritual  gifts 
has  been  set  forth.  Love  thinks  not  of  self-glorification 
but  of  service,  hence  it  will  not  only  use  each  gift  to  this 
end,  but  will  desire  those  which  best  meet  it.  It  thus  is 
a  criterion  for  estimating  the  relative  value  of  gifts,  and 
should  be  the  means  of  guarding  against  all  disorder  in 
their  use  in  public  assemblies.  All  the  gifts  mentioned 
in  Chapter  12,  except  that  of  tongues,  suggest  their  serv- 
iceability to  the  Church.  But,  as  we  have  seen,  it  was 
just  the  gift  of  tongues  which  made  strong  appeal  to  the 
Corinthians.  It  is,  therefore,  to  a  comparison  of  that 
with  prophecy  that  the  Apostle  now  turns  after  his  eulogy 
of  love.  The  chapter  may  be  divided  into  five  parts:  (i) 
Showing  the  superiority  of  prophesying  to  speaking  with 
tongues  (1-25).  (2)  Giving  regulations  for  the  orderly 
exercise  of  gifts  in  public  worship  (26-33).  (3)  For- 
bidding women  to  speak  in  church  (34-36).  (4)  Paul's 
assertion  of  authority  (37-38).    Conclusions  (39-40). 

I.  Superiority  of  Prophesying  to  Speaking  with  Tongues, 
14:1-25 
I.  Follow  after  love;  yet  desire  earnestly  spiritual 
2.    gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  may  prophesy.    For  he  that 

of  glory" ;  love,  as  that  spirit  which  binds  all  hearts  together  and 
expresses  itself  in  innumerable  heavenly  ways  of  word  and  deed. 
No  nobler  conception  of  the  other  life  can  be  found  in  the  New 
Testament  than  is  implied  in  "these  three"  graces.  And  the 
greatest  of  these  is  love.  Because  love  is  the  very  life  of  God, 
while  faith  and  hope  are  human ;  because  love  inspires  faith  and 
hope  and  keeps  them  from  self-centered  aims. 

I.  Follow  after  love.  With  eager  effort  they  are  to  seek  to 
realize  this  wonderful  grace  by  resisting  temptations  to  any 
course  of  conduct  which  hinders  it  and  by  using  every  opportu- 
nity to  further  it.  Meanwhile,  however,  they  are  to  continue 
their  earnest  desire  for  spiritual  gifts,  more  than  all  for  the  gift 

109 


14:2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

speaketh  in  a  tongue  speaketh  not  unto  men,  but 
unto  God;  for  no  man  ^  understandeth ;  but  in  the 

^  Gr.,   heareth. 

of  prophecy.  The  exaltation  of  love  is  no  disparagement  of 
spiritual  gifts.  Rather  to  "pursue"  love  is  to  deepen  the  desire 
for  those  gifts  which  shall  be  of  effective  service  to  others.  In 
his  treatment  of  spiritual  gifts,  hitherto,  Paul  has  given  the 
lowest  place  in  his  lists  of  gifts  to  the  gift  of  tongues  (12:9,  28). 
That  is  a  hint  at  his  estimate  of  their  relative  worth.  Now  he 
comes  to  a  direct  treatment  of  the  matter  for  two  reasons:  (i) 
Many  of  the  Corinthians  had  given  "tongues"  the  highest  place 
because  of  the  sensational,  showy  character  of  the  gift.  (2) 
The  more  sober-minded  had  been  led  to  ask  the  Apostle  specifi- 
cally which  of  the  two — prophecy  or  tongues,  should  have  prece- 
dence in  the  meetings  of  the  church.* 

2.  For  connects  this  verse  with  the  last  clause  of  verse  i, 
and  opens  the  section  showing  why  prophecy  is  to  be  especially 
desired  as  compared  with  "tongues."  In  a  word  it  is  because 
prophecy  edifies  the  church  and  tongues  do  not,  since  they  are 
unintelligible.  No  man  understandeth.  "The  man  who  speak- 
eth in  a  tongue  speaketh  not  unto  men  but  unto  God";  also  "in 
the  spirit  he  speaketh  mysteries."  This  gift,  so  strange  to  us 
and  therefore  so  difficult  for  us  to  appreciate,  had  a  real  worth 
in  the  mind  of  Paul.  It  was  to  him  a  supernatural  elevation  of 
soul,  producing  a  state  of  ecstasy  in  which  ordinary  language 
was  incapable  of  adequately  expressing  what  was  felt.  Robertson 
compares  the  experience  to  "the  many  unmeaning  shouts  of  boy- 
hood, getting  rid  of  the  exuberance  of  life,  uttering  in  sound  a 
joy  which  boyhood  only  knows  and  for  which  manhood  has  no 
words."  The  ecstatic  cries  and  exclamations  or  inarticulate  mut- 
terings  were  indicative  of  exalted  communion  with  God,  of  the 
rapture  of  adoration,  of  the  unutterable  intensity  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving.  Paul  himself  knew  by  experience  all  these  "trans- 
ports of  ecstasy  and  raptures  of  worship."  He  had  spoken 
mysteries,  i.e.,  Divine  secrets,  which  the  church  could  not  under- 
stand and,  for  this  reason,  he  makes  no  sweeping  condemnation 
of  this  singular  gift.  He  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  would 
that  they  "all  spake  with  tongues"    (5).     Nevertheless,  the 

*  This  second  reason  is  an  inference  from  the  allusions  to  the 
subject  in  the  chapter.  There  were  those  who  wished  to  forbid  tongues 
altogether  (14:39).  Strangers  were  unfavorably  affected  by  them 
(14:23).  These,  together  with  Paul's  specific  treatment  of  prophecy, 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  a  specific  question  regarding  these  two  was 
in  the  letter  to   Paul. 

1 10 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       14:6 

3.  spirit  he  speaketh  mysteries.  But  he  that  prophe- 
sieth  speaketh  unto  men  edification  and  ^  comfort 

4.  and  consolation.  He  that  speaketh  in  a  tongue 
-edifieth  himself;  but  he  that  prophesieth  ^  edifieth 
the  church. 

5.  Now  I  would  have  you  all  speak  with  tongues,  but 
rather  that  ye  should  prophesy:  and  greater  is  he 
that  prophesieth  than  he  that  speaketh  with  tongues, 
except  he  interpret,   that   the  church  may  receive 

6.  edifying.     But  now,  brethren,  if  I  come  unto  you 

1  SV,    exhortation.  ^  Gr.,    buildeth   up. 

very  unintelligibility  to  the  church  of  the  speaking,  unless  per- 
chance someone  "in  the  same  key  of  feeling"  were  present  to 
interpret,  made  the  gift  inferior  to  prophecy  as  far  as  the  church 
was  concerned.  There  was  no  edification  in  it,  except  to  the 
man  possessing  it. 

3.  Not  so  with  prophesying.  That  was  making  known  the 
will  of  God.  It  was  inspired  preaching  of  such  intelligibility, 
insight  and  power  as  to  build  up  character,  quicken  the  will  and 
comfort  those  who  were  weak  or  were  in  sorrow  or  in  fear, 

4.  He  that  speaketh  with  a  tongue  edifieth  himself.  The 
blessing  centers  in  himself  and  ends  there,  unless  an  interpreter 
be  found.  He  that  prophesieth  edifieth  the  community  by  all 
the  truth  and  inspiration  to  progress  in  the  Christian  life,  to 
duty,  and  to  cheer  which  come  through  his  enlightening  and 
persuasive  speech. 

5.  Lest  he  might  appear  through  jealousy  or  envy  to  disparage 
the  gift  of  tongues,  he  wishes  that  all  might  have  it  (for  each 
one's  own  sake)  but  there  is  a  wish  that  he  would  rather  see 
fulfilled,  viz.,  that  th3y  might  prophesy.  Besides,  he  that  prophe- 
sieth is  greater,  because  more  helpful,  than  he  that  speaketh  with 
tongues,  unless  he  interprets  his  utterance  in  order  that  the  church 
may  be  edified.  In  this  case  he  stands  on  the  level  with  the 
prophet. 

6.  To  bring  the  matter  home  to  them  Paul  calls  attention  to 
his  coming  visit  (4:19-21,  16:5).  How  much  they  expected 
from  him  in  the  way  of  edification  may  be  gathered  from  what 
they  had  already  asked  of  him  in  the  letter  they  had  written  to 
him.  He  makes  the  following  appeal  to  their  common  sense. 
"But,  this  being  so"  (that  edification  is  impossible  without 
interpretation)   "if  I  should  come  to  you  with  (merely)   the  gift 

III 


14  7       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

speaking  with  tongues,  what  shall  I  profit  you,  un- 
less I  speak  to  you  either  by  way  of  revelation,  or 
of  knowledge,  or  of  prophesying,  or  of  teaching? 

7.  Even  things  without  life,  giving  a  voice,  whether 
fife  or  harp,  if  they  give  not  a  distinction  in  the 
sounds,   how  shall   it  be   known  what   is   fifed   or 

8.  harped?    For  if  the  trumpet  give  an  uncertain  voice, 

9.  who  shall  prepare  himself  for  war?  So  also  ye, 
unless  ye  utter  by  the  tongue  speech  easy  to  be 
understood,  how  shall  it  be  known  what  is  spoken? 

10.  for  ye  will  be  speaking  into  the  air.     There  are,  it 
may  be,  so  many  kinds  of  voices  in  the  world,  and 

11.  ^  no  kind  is  without  signification.     If  then  I  know 

^  Or,    nothing    is    without    voice. 

of  tongues,  what  shall  I  profit  you,  unless  I  should  speak  as  a 
prophet  who  had  had  a  revelation  or  as  a  teacher  who  had 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Revelation  and  knowledge 
are  in  this  verse  the  inward  Divine  gifts;  prophecy  and  teach- 
ing  their  outward  expression. 

7.  To  confirm  his  general  contention  he  now  adduces  two 
illustrations — one  from  musical  instruments  (7-9),  the  other  from 
foreign  languages.  Pipe  (flute),  harp.  These  are  representative 
respectively  of  wind  and  stringed  instruments.  Distinction — in 
the  notes.  What  is  piped  or  harped,  i.e.,  the  tune  or  melody. 
Inanimate  musical  instruments  are  of  little  use  unless  they  can 
produce  an  intelligible  and  significant  melody. 

8.  Uncertain  sound,  i.e.,  a  sound  which  is  not  an  understood 
military  signal.     War:  better,  battle. 

9.  So  also  in  your  case,  if,  through  the  tongue  (your  instru- 
ment of  speech)  you  do  not  give  speech  easy  to  be  understood, 
how  is  any  meaning  to  be  attached  to  what  you  say?  You 
might  as  well  be  "talking  to  the  winds." 

10.  Another  illustration  from  the  many  languages  in  the  world. 
Voices,  languages,  not  "natural  sounds";  "tongues"  is  ordinarily 
the  word  used  to  designate  languages,  but  the  word  "voices"  is 
chosen  to  avoid  ambiguity.  Incidentally  it  confirms  the  judg- 
ment that  the  gift  of  tongues  is  not  the  gift  of  languages.  With- 
out signification.  The  word  in  the  original  is  "voiceless,"  which 
signifies  not  "dumb"  but  meaningless.  Every  language  is  in- 
telligible to  those  who  use  it. 

11.  If  I  cannot  understand  his  language  we  are  to  each  other 

112 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      14:14 

not  the  meaning  of  the  voice,  I  shall  be  to  him  that 
speaketh  a  barbarian,  and  he  that  speaketh  will  be 

12.  a  barbarian  ^  unto  me.    So  also  ye,  since  ye  are  zeal- 
ous of  -  spiritual  gifts,  seek   that  ye  may  abound 

13.  unto  the  edifying  of  the  church.    Wherefore  let  him 
that  speaketh  in  a  tdngue  pray  that  he  may  inter- 

14.  pret.     For  if  I  pray  in  a  tongue  my  spirit  prayeth, 

^  Or,   in   my   case.  *  Gr.,   spirits. 

as  barbarians.  "The  Greeks  used  the  word  barbarian  of  any 
foreigner  ignorant  of  the  Greek  language  and  the  Greek  cul- 
ture."— Thayer.  Our  word  "gibberish"  conveys  to  us  the  same 
idea  of  unintelligible  sounds.  Corinth  was  a  city  in  which  as 
many  different  languages  were  spoken  as  in  modern  Constanti- 
nople. The  force  of  the  illustration  was  very  clear  to  his 
readers. 

12.  The  eagerness  of  the  Corinthians  for  showy  spiritual  mani- 
festations needed  constantly  the  sobering  corrective  of  "the  good 
of  others"  pressed  home  upon  them,  as  here. 

13.  Wherefore.  Introducing  an  exhortation  based  upon  all 
that  is  said  in  6-12;  also  another  series  of  arguments  in  14-19. 
Pray  that  he  may  interpret.  Either  before  or  after  speaking 
in  a  tongue  he  is  to  pray  that  the  gift  of  interpretation  be  given 
to  him.  This  is  preferable  to  the  interpretation  "pray  while  in 
ecstasy." 

14.  The  key  to  the  interpretation  of  this  verse,  as  well  as  of 
verse  15,  is  in  a  clear  distinction  between  "spirit"  and  "under- 
standing." Both  words  are  qualified  by  the  possessive  "my"; 
"my  spirit"  refers,  therefore,  to  the  human  spirit.  The  inner 
life  of  man  is  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament  as  "spirit"  and 
"soul,"  "Spirit"  marks  the  higher  aspect  of  that  inner  life. 
Following  the  Old  Testament,  it  denotes  it  as  derived  from  God 
and  related  to  God.  It  is  the  term  used,  then,  whenever  the 
contact  of  God  with  man  is  thought  of.  Here  it  denotes  the 
human  spirit  "permeated  by  the  divine  Spirit  ecstatically."  The 
human  spirit  is  filled  and  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  yields 
itself  to  the  divine  impulse.  The  "understanding,"  on  the  other 
hand,  is  the  thinking  faculty  "which  apprehends,  works  upon 
and  reflects  and  reproduces  in  its  own  forms  the  contents  given 
to  it."  The  "spirit,"  in  this  connection,  is  the  sphere  of  intense, 
exalted,  unutterable  feeling;  the  "understanding,"  the  means  of 
clear,  intelligible  thought.  To  pray  or  sing  with  the  spirit,  there- 
US 


14:15     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

15.  but  my  understanding  is  unfruitful.  What  is  it 
then?  I  will  pray  with  the  spirit  and  I  will  pray 
with  the  understanding  also:  I  will  sing  with  the 
spirit  and  I  will  sing  with  the  understanding  also. 

16.  Else  if  thou  bless  with  the  spirit,  how  shall  he  that 
filleth  the  place  of  the  ^  unlearned  say  the  Amen  at 
thy  giving  of  thanks,  seeing  he  knoweth  not  what 

17.  thou  sayest?     For  thou  verily  givest  thanks  well, 

^  Or,  him  that  is  without  gifts:  and  so  in  ver.  23,  24. 

fore,  is  to  leave  the  understanding  unfruitful,  i.e.,  barren  of 
edification  to  others. 

15.  What  is  it  then?  How,  then,  does  the  case  stand?  In 
this  way:  Mere  ecstatic  emotionalism  is  not  enough.  I  will  pray 
and  chant  with  the  Spirit's  rapture,  yes,  but  I  also  will  pray  and 
sing  with  the  reason.  To  unintelligible  praying  and  inarticulate 
rhapsodical  chanting,  I  will  add  praying  and  singing,  in  which, 
being  expressive  of  definite,  clear  thought,  others  can  join.  This 
concludes  the  first  of  the  second  series  of  reasons  for  the  in- 
feriority of  tongues. 

16.  The  second  reason  is  that  Tongues  are  an  embarrassment 
to  the  unlearned  who,  not  understanding  what  is  said  when  the 
speaker,  in  ecstatic  utterances,  is  praising  God  for  His  goodness, 
is  unable  to  say  "Amen."  Two  questions  arise:  Who  is  he  that 
filleth  the  place  of  the  unlearned  and  what  is  meant  by  the 
place?  These  questions  have  had  various  answers.  The  word 
translated  "unlearned"  means  primarily  "a  private  person"  as 
opposed  to  one  who  has  official  position;  secondarily,  one  who 
has  lay,  and  not  expert  knowledge  about  any  given  matter.  The 
second  meaning  applies  here  and  to  those  who  came  to  the 
Christian  assemblies  but  were  not  yet  baptized  and  gave  no  evi- 
dence of  having  received  the  Spirit.  Theodoret  called  them  "the 
uninitiated."  These  may  have  had  a  separate  place  in  the  as- 
sembly but  it  is  better  to  interpret  place  as  "position."  The 
whole  would  then  read:  "How  shall  one  who  has  the  position  of 
the  uninitiated  say  Amen  ?"  The  Amen — meaning  "so  let  it  be" — 
came  over  from  the  Synagogue  to  the  Christian  Church. 

17.  Your  thanksgiving  is  all  very  well,  but  then — the  man  is 
not  edified.  It  is  questionable  whether  there  is  a  touch  of  irony 
in  the  first  clause  of  this  verse  since  Paul  believed  in  the  worth 
of  Tongues  to  the  one  gifted  with  them. 

114 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     14:21 

18.  but  the  other  is  not  ^  edified.    I  thank  God,  I  speak 

19.  with  tongues  more  than  you  all:  howbeit  in  the 
church  I  had  rather  speak  five  words  with  my  under- 
standing that  I  might  instruct  others  also,  than  ten 
thousand  words  in  a  tongue. 

20.  Brethren,  be  not   children  in  mind:    howbeit  in 

21.  malice  be  ye  babes,  but  in  mind  be  ye  -men.     In 

1  Gr.,    builded    up.  ^  Gr.,    of    full    age. 

18.  Paul  adduces  his  own  experience  and  judgment  as  a  third 
argument.  He  was  no  stranger  to  this  gift.  He  thanks  God, 
rather,  that  he  excels  in  it.  Doubtless  it  has  often  been  to  him 
in  private  a  means  of  exalted  communion  with  God,  but  in  the 
Church  assembly  he  would  give  it  small  place. 

19.  In  the  Church  he  would  rather  speak  five  words  with  the 
understanding  for  the  mstruction  of  others  than  ten  thousand 
words  in  a  tongue.  This  same  judgment  reveals  the  fine  balance 
of  the  Apostle.  Over  against  the  ecstatic  element  in  himself  and 
in  others  he  resolutely  set  his  deeply  ethical  understanding  of 
the  Spirit's  purpose  and  of  the  Christian  life. 

20.  Be  not  children  in  mind.  The  child  loves  that  which  is 
showy  and  attracts  attention  and  in  the  Corinthian's  love  of 
tongues  Paul  discerned  a  sort  of  childishness.  In  malice  be  ye 
babes,  i.e.,  if  you  will  be  children,  let  it  be  in  reference  to  a 
malicious  disposition,  but  in  intelligent  discernment  be  men. 
Softened  as  this  rebuke  is  by  the  affectionate  address  "brethren," 
it  nevertheless  must  have  been  humbling  to  those  who  prided 
themselves  upon  their  knowledge. 

21.  Thus  far  the  whole  discussion  has  been  in  reference  to  the 
usefulness  of  gifts — particularly  of  tongues  and  prophecy— to 
the  church.  Now  he  turns  to  consider  the  bearing  of  these  two 
upon  the  outsider  who  finds  his  way  into  the  assembly.  To 
him  tongues  could  be  a  sign  of  judgment,  whereas  prophesying 
might  issue  in  his  conversion.  Again  in  this  way  the  inferiority 
of  tongues  to  prophecy  is  set  forth.  The  argument  begins  in 
citing  an  instance  from  the  law.  This  name  was  given  to  the 
Old  Testament  as  a  whole  from  the  fact  that  the  law  was  the 
more  important  part  (cf.  Rom.  3:19;  Jn.  10:34)-  The  quota- 
tion is  from  Is.  28:11-12*  and  is  to  this  effect.  The  scoffing 
Jews   in   Jerusalem   treat   with   scorn    God's   method    of    dealing 

*  The  quotation  is  not  exactly  in  accord  with  the  Septuagint  or 
with  the  Hebrew.     It  is  more  like  the  Greek  version  of  Aquila. 


14:22     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

the  law  it  is  written,  By  men  of  strange  tongues 
and  by  the  lip  of  strangers  will  I  speak  unto  this  peo- 
ple; and  not  even  thus  will  they  hear  me,  saith  the 

22.  Lord.  Wherefore  tongues  are  for  a  sign,  not  to 
them  that  believe,  but  to  the  unbelieving:  but 
prophesying  is  for  a  sign  not  to  the  unbelieving,  but 

23.  to  them  that  believe.  If  therefore  the  whole  church 
be  assembled  together  and  all  speak  with  tongues, 
and  there  come  in  men  unlearned  or  unbelieving, 

24.  will   they  not  say  that  ye   are  mad?      But   if  all 

with  them  and  His  warnings  to  them  through  His  prophets. 
"He  treats  us  as  children,"  they  said,  "with  line  upon  line, 
precept  upon  precept."  God,  through  the  prophet,  in  reply 
threatens  them  that  since  they  refused  to  listen  to  His  simple, 
clear  commands,  He  would  speak  to  them  by  the  strange  tongues 
of  the  Assyrians,  their  captors.  The  passage  is  in  no  sense  a 
prediction  regarding  speaking  with  tongues.  It  is  simply  an 
illustration  which  in  some  features  finds  a  parallel  in  the  Corin- 
thian situation.  The  striking  feature  is  that  the  strange  Assyrian 
tongue  by  which 

22.  God  spoke  to  Israel  was  in  retribution.  Just  so  (where- 
fore) speaking  with  tongues  was  to  the  outsider  who  would 
not  listen  to  the  call  of  the  Gospel  an  ominous  sign.  Its  abnor- 
mality did  not  commend  it,  rather  it  confirmed  his  unbelief.  In 
brief,  "tongues  do  not  convince  those  who  are  not  convinced 
already."  Compare  a  like  situation  in  the  case  of  the  parables 
of  Jesus  in  Mk.  .4:11-12.  Prophesying,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
for  a  sign.  The  words  "is  for  a  sign"  are  not  in  the  Greek. 
The  text  gives  a  good  sense  without  them.  If  they  are  kept,  the 
sign  in  this  case  is  not  of  judgment  but  of  grace. 

23.  To  bring  out  the  force  of  what  has  just  been  said  a  sup- 
position is  made  of  the  church  gathering  together  in  one  place 
and  the  whole  service  being  given  up  to  speaking  with  tongues, 
not  necessarily  all  speaking  at  the  same  time,  but  probably  so, 
addmg  confusion  to  unintelhgibility.  Into  this  gathering  come 
unlearned  men  (see  vs.  16)  and  those  who  are  positively  unbe- 
lieving.   Will  they  not  say  "You  are  insane"? 

24.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  all  prophesy  (in  turn  since 
prophesying  implies  self-possession  and  aims  at  edification — see 
vs.  32)  and  one  does  not  believe  or  one  who  is  yet  uninitiated 
(vs.  16)   comes  in  and  listens  to  the  inspired  searching  words  of 

116 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      14 -.27 

prophesy,  and  there  come  in  one  unbelieving  or  un- 
learned, he  is  '  reproved  by  all,  he  is  judged  by  all; 

25.  the  secrets  of  his  heart  are  made  manifest;  and  so 
he  will  fall  down  on  his  face  and  worship  God,  de- 

2.     Regulations  for  the  Orderly  Exercise   of   Gifts   in 
Public  Worship,  14:26-36 

26.  daring  that  God  is  ^  among  you  indeed.  What  is 
it  then,  brethren?  when  ye  come  together  each  one 
hath  a  psalm,  hath  a  teaching,  hath  a  revelation, 
hath   a    tongue,    hath    an   interpretation.      Let   all 

27.  things  be  done  unto  edifying.  If  any  man  speaketh 
in  a  tongue,  let  it  be  by  two,  or  at  the  most  three, 

1  Or,  coniicted.  ^  Or,  in. 

truth,  he  is  convicted  of  sin  (by  each  in  turn),  his  thoughts  are 
probed    (as  each   prophet   speaks). 

25.  And  the  secrets  of  his  heart  are  laid  bare:  and  so,  falling 
upon  his  face  he  will  worship  God  announcing  (by  that  act  and 
afterwards  by  word)  that  God  is  really  among  you.  The  two 
suppositions  make  again  clear  the  superior  value  of  prophecy, 
and  the  whole  chapter,  thus  far,  make  evident  the  fact  that  in 
dealing  with  the  gift  of  tongues  we  have  nothing  to  do  with 
foreign  languages. 

26.  What  is  it  then?  Cf.  verse  iS.  How  then  does  the  case 
stand?  i.e.,  how  are  these  gifts  to  be  exercised?  The  principle 
governing  their  exercise  is  edification.  This  principle  is  now 
applied  to  the  orderly  exercise,  particularly  of  the  gift  of  tongues 
and  prophecy.  A  graphic  picture  is  given  of  the  assembling 
church,  eager  to  contribute,  each  his  part,  to  the  service.  One 
has  a  psalm,  either  his  own  composition  or  an  Old  Testament 
psalm  with  a  Christian  application.  Regarding  this  psalmody  of 
the  early  church  we  know  very  Uttle.  Another  has  a  word  of 
instruction,  another  a  revelation,  i.e.,  an  inspired  setting  forth 
of  the  revealed  will  of  God,  another  breaks  forth  in  the  rap- 
turous utterances  of  a  tongue,  and  another  gives  an  interpreta- 
tion of  these  utterances.  The  spontaneity  of  the  offerings  and 
variety  of  forms  made  necessary  some  definite  regulations. 

27.  As  regards  those  having  the  gift  of  tongues — only  two,  at 
most  three,  were  to  speak  at  a  service  and  these  in  turn.  One 
and  only  one  was  to  interpret,  probably  on  account  of  time  and 

117 


14:28     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

28.  and  that  in  turn;  and  let  one  interpret:  but  if  there 
be  no  interpreter,  let  him  keep  silence  in  the  church ; 

29.  and  let  him  speak  to  himself,  and  to  God.    And  let 
the  prophets  speak   by  two  or  three,  and  let  the 

30.  others  ^  discern.     But  if  a  revelation  be  made  to 

31.  another  sitting  by,  let  the  first  keep  silence.    For  ye 
all  can  prophesy,  one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn, 

32.  and  all  may  be  -  comforted;  and  the  spirits  of  the 

^  Gr.,    discriminate.  "  SV,    exhorted. 

28.  to  prevent  discussion.  If  no  interpreter  be  present  then 
"let  the  rhapsodist  be  silent  in  the  assembly."  He  must  com- 
mune with  God  in  this  way  in  soHtude,  i.e.,  at  home. 

29.  As  regards  prophets  there  was  also  to  be  a  limited  number, 
two  or  three,  naturally,  in  succession.  Discern.  The  gift  of 
discernment,  probably  exercised  by  those  who  were  themselves 
prophets,  was  to  determine  whether  the  spirit  was  of  God. 

30.  If  while  one  prophet  is  speaking,  another  sitting  in  the 
audience  has  a  revelation  it  shall  be  an  indication  to  the  speaker 
that  he  is  to  bring  his  address  to  a  close.  The  wording  does  not 
signify  an  abrupt  stop  on  the  part  of  the  speaker  nor  an  abrupt 
beginning  on  the  part  of  his  successor.  Courtesy  as  well  as  order 
should  have  place.  It  does  signify  that  one  prophet  must  not 
occupy  the  whole  time  of  the  meeting,  if  others  felt  called  upon 
to  speak. 

31.  For.  This  verse  gives  a  reason  for  the  direction  in  30. 
If  one  prophet  gives  way  to  another,  it  would  be  possible  for  all 
the  prophets  in  successive  meetings  to  be  heard  and  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation  to  be  instructed  and  comforted.  The 
varied  speakers  with  their  varied  revelations  would  compass  the 
needs  of  the  congregation.  The  listening  prophets  would,  of 
course,  share  in  the  blessings  of  instruction  and  comfort. 

32.  And  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject  to  the 
prophets.  And  connects  this  verse  with  the  preceding  and  gives 
another  reason  for  the  regulation  in  verse  30.  One  can  become 
silent  if  another  has  a  revelation,  for  a  prophet  is  not  under  the 
power  of  a  spirit  he  cannot  control.  He  is  not  helplessly  driven 
to  talk  on  and  on.  He  is  master  of  the  spirit  which  speaks 
through  him.  "The  very  ideal  of  prophecy  is  to  receive  the 
Divine  communication  unperturbed  by  the  nearness  of  the  Divine 
and  to  deliver  it  with  a  calm  confidence  in  its  truthfulness  and 
its  certainty  to  prevail." — Davidson,  O.  T.  Prophecy. 

118 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      14:34 

33.  prophets  are  subject  to  the  prophets;  for  God  is  not 
a  God  of  confusion,  but  of  peace;  as  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  saints. 

J.    Forbidding  Women  to  Speak  in  Church 

34.  Let  the  women  keep  silence  in  the  churches:  for 
it  is  not  permitted  unto  them  to  speak;  but  let  them 

33.  This  is  a  proof  of  the  maxim  of  verse  32.  God  is  not  a 
God  of  disorder  and  confusion.  His  Spirit  therefore  cannot  be 
the  breeder  of  turbulence.  He  cannot  inspire  men  to  make  them 
unruly.  That  would  mean  unseemly  contention  in  the  church, 
but  God  is  a  God  of  peace.  As  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
saints.  It  is  not  clear  whether  this  clause  should  go  with  verse 
33  or  with  34.  In  either  case  supply  the  words  "is  the  custom." 
If  taken  with  33  it  refers  to  the  custom  of  reverent  orderliness. 
If  connected  with  34,  it  would  read  "as  is  the  custom  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  saints  let  the  women  keep  silence  in  the  churches." 
Saints — those  set  apart  to  God,  believers. 

34.  Let  the  women  keep  silence  in  the  churches.  The 
prohibition  is  positive  and  is  grounded  upon  Gen.  3:16.  The 
difficulty  which  it  presents  is  its  apparent  contradiction  with 
11:5,  13,  where  women  are  spoken  of  as  praying  and  prophesy- 
ing. "Every  woman  who,  while  praying  or  prophesying  in  pub- 
lic, keeps  her  head  uncovered,  etc."  The  simplest  solution  is 
that  in  11:5  his  whole  thought  is  upon  the  "wearing  of  the  veil" 
in  public  assemblies  and  the  matter  of  "praying  and  prophesying 
or  speaking  with  tongues"  is  left  untouched.  That  has  his  atten- 
tion now  under  the  general  theme — decorum  and  edification  in 
speaking  in  the  church  gatherings.  Women  are  to  keep  silent.* 
The  ground  of  this  is  in  the  words  of  Gen.  3:16,  "thy  desire 
shall  be  to  thy  husband  and  he  shall  rule  over  thee."  They  are 
to  be  in  subjection  or,  perhaps  better,  in  subordination  in  accord- 
ance with  the  nature  of  the  sexes  and  the  word  of  God.  In  I. 
Tim.  2:12  a  more  specific  prohibition  is  given,  "I  do  not  allow 
a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  lord  it  over  a  man,"  i.e.,  Findlay  sug- 
gests that  these  two  functions — "church-teaching  and  authorita- 
tive-direction," as  unfit   for  women,   may   have  been  what   was 

*  Other  solutions  are:  (i)  that  the  speaking  is  defined  by  verse  36 
as  "asking  questions"  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  prophesying  (Hein- 
rici);  (2)  that  verses  34-35  are  an  interpolation  coming  into  the  text 
from  the  margin  and  placed  there  by  a  much  later  hand  (Weinel)  ; 
(3)  that  women  might  pray  and  prophesy  in  more  private  meetings 
consisting  chiefly  of  women  (Beet).  Each  explanation  raises  other 
difficulties  in  trying  to   solve  the  one  of  the  text. 

119 


14:35     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

35.  be  in  subjection,  as  also  saith  the  law.  And  if  they 
would  learn  anything,  let  them  ask  their  own  hus- 
bands at  home:  for  it  is  shameful  for  a  woman  to 

36.  speak  in  the  church.  What?  was  it  from  you  that 
the  word  of  God  went  forth?  or  came  it  unto  you 
alone? 

4.    Paul's  Assertion  of  Authority,  14:37-38 

37.  If  any  man  thinketh  himself  to  be  a  prophet  or 
spiritual,  let  him  take  knowledge  of  the  things  which 
I  write  unto  you,  that  they  are  the  commandment 

38.  of  the  Lord.  ^  But  if  any  man  is  ignorant,  let  him 
be  ignorant. 

^  Many  ancient  authorities  read  Biit  if  any  man  knoweth  not,  he 
is  not   known. 

here  in  the  mind  of  Paul.  It  is  well  in  this  connection  to  remem- 
ber that  "the  attitude  of  Apostolic  Christianity  toward  women 
is  largely  due  to  the  interaction  of  two  distinct  principles — the 
fundamental  Christian  assertion  of  the  intrinsic  worth  of  human 
personality  and  the  eschatological  foreshortening  of  the  time 
which  could  not  fail  to  hinder  the  social  application  of  the 
former  principle." — Robinson.  Our  day  has  applied  this  "former 
principle"  and  given  women  larger  liberty. 

35.  And  if — better,  "and,  moreover,  if,"  showing  that  verse  35 
is  not  an  explanation  of  verse  34,  but  adds  something  to  it.  It 
may  be  rendered  "And  even  if  they  would  learn  something  they 
must  not  speak  in  church  but  carry  their  questions  home  to 
their  husbands,  or,  if  not  married,  to  their  fathers  or  brothers." 
It  might  look  Uke  heeding  the  injunction  to  be  "in  subjection" 
if  they  merely  asked  questions,  but  even  this  could  not  be 
allowed,  as  it  might  serve  as  a  pretext  for  gaining  some  larger 
privilege.  Shameful — because  a  violation  of  the  modesty  re- 
quired by  ancient  custom. 

36.  A  sharp  rebuke.  The  questions  are  ironical.  Pray,  did 
God's  word  start  from  you?  Are  you  the  only  people  it  has 
reached?  So  you  seem  to  think,  in  view  of  the  authority  you 
claim  and  the  right  you  assert  to  be  independent  regarding  such 
disorders  in  public  worship  as  I  have  condemned. 

37.  The  commandment  of  the  Lord.  Paul  is  sure  of  the 
source  of  the  directions  he  has  been  giving  them.     Whoever  is 

120 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      14:40 

5.     Conclusion  of  the  Whole  Matter,  14:39-40 

39.  Wherefore,    my    brethren,    desire    earnestly    to 
prophesy   and    forbid   not   to   speak   with   tongues. 

40.  But  let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order. 

moved  by  the  Spirit  will  recognize  that  they  are  from  the  Lord 
and  will  acknowledge  their  authority. 

38.  If  any  says  "I  fail  to  see  it"  that  does  not  alter  the  facts, 
he  must  rest  in  his  ignorance.  Paul  will  have  no  contention 
with  him. 

39.  The  whole  discussion  is  summed  up  in  three  exhortations 
to  seek  earnestly  to  be  inspired  preachers  of  the  revealed  truth 
of  God;  to  allow  the  exercise  of  the  gift  of  tongues  under  such 
restrictions,  of  course,  as  he  had  given  them,  and  to  carry  on 
their  public  worship  in  a  seemly  manner  and  in  order.  The 
peculiar  phrase  translated  "in  order"  applies,  perhaps,  solely  to 
the  exercise  of  public  gifts;  while  "seemliness"  bears  upon  woman's 
dress  and  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  table. 


121 


15  :i 


IV.  Teaching  Concerning  the  Resurrection  of  the 
Dead,  15:1-58 

I.  The  Creed  which  the  Church  had  accepted  and  the 

summary  of  evidence  for  the  Resurrection  with 

which  they  were  familiar,  15:1-11 

15.  I.  Now  I  make  known  unto  you,  brethren,  the  gos- 
pel which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  re- 
Paul's  gospel  was  principally  the  gospel  of  the  cross  and  the 
Resurrection.  This  does  not  mean  that  the  earthly  life  of  Jesus 
before  the  crucifixion  was  of  no  importance  to  him.  On  the 
contrary,  all  that  preceded  Calvary's  hour  was  a  preparation  for 
it.  It  was  the  climactic  expression  of  the  spirit  and  purpose  of 
all  that  Jesus  said  and  did.  By  that  supreme  sacrifice  redemption 
from  sin  was  provided  for  all  who  would  accept  it.  But  had 
death  been  victorious  over  Jesus  and  there  had  been  no  Resur- 
rection there  would  have  been  wanting  a  vital  element  in  the 
Apostle's  message.  It  is  to  show  this  that  a  part  of  this  chapter 
is  written.  The  triumph  of  Jesus  over  the  grave  is  the  guarantee 
of  the  same  triumph  for  those  who  believe  in  him.  As  this  chap- 
ter is  the  great  chapter  of  the  New  Testament  upon  the  subject 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  it  merits  close  attention.  The 
reasoning  of  the  chapter  is  concise  and  sometimes  intricate.  Be- 
fore entering  upon  a  detailed  study  of  it  it  will  be  of  advantage 
to  get  at  the  situation  in  the  Corinthian  church  which  called  it 
forth,  to  mark  the  postulates  with  which  Paul  begins  it,  and  to 
have  a  general  outline  of  his  argument. 

Belief  in  a  future  life  was  accepted  alike  by  Jew  and  Greek. 
The  point  in  question  was  whether  it  was  reached  by  the  way  of 
resurrection.  To  the  Jew  the  resurrection  of  the  body  was  the 
completion  of  salvation,  an  essential  element  of  future,  heavenly 
existence.  To  the  Greek,  on  the  contrary,  with  his  conception  of 
matter  as  the  source  of  evil  and  with  the  evidence  that  the  body 
in  the  grave  was  dissolved  into  its  original  elements,  the  thought 
of  a  resurrection  of  the  body  was  both  impossible  and  undesir- 
able.   There  were  some  in  the  church  who  held  this  latter  view. 

122 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        15 '-i 

It   seems   illogical   that   they    could   admit   that   Jesus   had   risen 
from  the  dead,  for  he  was  a  man  and  had  a  mortal  body.     But 
so  they  did  believe,  and  their  belief  was  of  great  apologetic  value 
to  Paul.     They  were  perhaps  willing  to  accept  the  fact  because 
of  the  uniqueness  of  Jesus  and  in  view  of  the  sure  witness  of 
many  that  they  had  seen  the  Risen  Lord.    They  could  not,  how- 
ever, see  in   the   fact   any   guarantee   of   the   resurrection   of   his 
followers.    There  may  have  been  in  their  attitude  a  touch  of  that 
boasted   "enlightenment"    (rationalism,   we   would  call  it)    which 
based  denial  upon  the  impossibility  of  forming  any  human  con- 
ception   of    what    resurrection   is— or   "affecting    'the   wisdom    of 
this  world'  they  cherished  the  rooted  prejudice  of  Greek  culture 
against    the    idea    of    bodily    resurrection."     At    any    rate,   their 
assertion  was  that  "Dead  persons  do  not  live  again"  (vs.  12)  and 
it  is  this  assertion  which  engages  Paul's  attention  through  seventy- 
two  verses  of  this  chapter.     His  whole  effort  is  to  make  clear  to 
these    dangerous    doubters    how    illogical    their    position    is.      He 
argues  with  these  postulates  in  mind:    (a)   that  Christ  has  risen, 
(b)  that  those  who  believe  in  him  shall  also  rise  from  the  dead. 
It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  chapter  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
resurrection    of   unbelievers   and   that   it   does   not   once   use   the 
expression  "the  resurrection  of  the  body."     It  proclaims  "bodily 
resurrection,"  which  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  "resurrection 
of  the  body";  it  also  shows  how  central  and  vital  the  doctrine  is 
to  complete  Christian  salvation.     A  brief  analysis  of  the  chapter 
is  as  follows:    He  first  calls  their  attention  to  the  gospel  which  he 
had  preached  to  them  and  which  they  had  received,  together  with 
the  traditional  summary  of  witnesses  to  the  fact  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  (2-11).    Then  he  takes  up  the  general  denial  which 
doubters  made,  viz.:    "Dead  men  do  not  rise  again,"  and  by  a 
reduction  ad  absurdum  form  of  argument  shows  the  inconsistency 
or  falsity  of  it.     There  are  four  of  these  arguments,  beginning 
respectively   at   verses    13,   16,   29,  32.     The   first,   accepting   the 
strictly  logical  conclusion  that  if   dead  men  do   not  rise,   Christ 
also  Himself  did  not  rise,  since  he  was  a  man,  shows  that  his 
(Paul's)   preaching  and  their  faith  were  without  content,  empty, 
and  they  and   all   other  believers   were   false  witnesses    (13-15). 
The  second  argument,  accepting  the  same  conclusion  as  the  first, 
concludes   that    (a)    faith   is   futile   "Ye   are   yet    in   your  sins." 
(b)  That  all  Christians,  who  have  died,  have  perished,     (c)  That 
those  in  this  Ufe  who   have  hoped  in   Christ  are  of   men   most 
pitiable  (16-19).    The  mere  statement  of  such  conclusions  would 
seem  to  be  their  refutation.    Paul  meets  them,  however,  by  turn- 
ing from  argument  to  prophecy,  one  of  those  exalted  spirit-inspired 
utterances  in   which   he  sets   forth  with  exultant  assurance   the 

123 


15:2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2.    ceived,  wherein  also  ye  stand,  by  which  also  ye  are 
^  saved ;   /  make  known,  I  say,  in  what  words  I 

^  Or,  saved,  if  ye  hold  fast  what  I  preached  unto  ye.     SV,  if  ye  hold 

fast  the  word  which, 

outcome  of  Christ's  resurrection.  Risen  he  is,  yes!  And  he  is 
the  first  fruits  of  them  who  have  fallen  asleep  in  him.  At  his 
coming  they  shall  arise  and  then  shall  be  the  end,  when  Death's 
defeat  shall  mark  the  close  of  his  triumph  over  all  opposing 
forces,  the  placing  of  all  enemies  under  his  feet  and  the  giving  up 
of  the  Kingdom  to  God  (20-28).  The  third  argument  (29)  and 
the  fourth  (30-32)  are  thrown  into  the  form  of  questions  imply- 
ing that  there  is  no  satisfactory  answer  to  either  except  in  the 
hope  of  a  future  life  with  which  the  hope  of  resurrection  is  prac- 
tically identified.  After  a  warning  against  association  with  those 
who  hold  materialistic  views  of  life  (33)  and  an  exhortation  to 
get  back  to  a  sober  mind  (34),  Paul  turns  to  the  consideration  of 
the  intellectual  problem  of  the  Resurrection — the  problem  of  the 
body.  The  difficulties  before  the  minds  of  the  Corinthians  are  set 
forth  in  the  two  questions:  How  are  the  dead  raised?  With 
what  kind  of  a  body  do  they  come?  Shall  we  have  the  same 
bodies  that  we  put  aside  when  we  die?  If  not,  what  will  be  the 
nature  of  the  body?  Paul  begins  his  answer  with  an  analogy  of 
the  sowing  of  the  seed,  out  of  which  can  be  drawn  the  two 
teachings — the  continuity  of  life  between  the  old  and  the  new 
body  and  identity — God  giveth  each  seed  a  body  after  its  kind 
(wheat,  barley,  etc.),  37-41.  As  preparatory  to  the  application 
of  this  to  the  resurrection  the  Apostle  calls  attention  to  the  great 
diversity  of  bodies  which  God  has  provided  on  earth,  in  the  sea, 
and  in  the  sky.  Surely  He  can  furnish  one  suitable  for  the  life 
beyond.  Whatever  its  substance,  that  body  shall  have  marked 
contrasts  in  quality  from  our  earthly  body.  It  will  be  immortal, 
glorious,  powerful,  spiritual  (42-44).  As  we  have  had  a  fleshly 
body  so  we  shall  have  a  spiritual  body,  and  the  basis  of  this  sure 
hope  is  in  the  fact  that  the  resurrected  Jesus  has  become  a  life- 
giving  Spirit  whence  shall  come  that  body  suited  to  a  spiritual 
environment.  The  secret,  the  mystery  of  the  Resurrection  is  just 
this  (45-49).  If  we  live  to  the  time  of  the  Lord's  coming,  to  the 
great  day  of  resurrection,  we  shall  have  this  "spiritual  body"  as 
the  result  of  a  sudden  transformation,  and  so  "Death  shall  be 
swallowed  up  in  victory."  In  view  of  it  all,  let  us  be  steadfast 
for  earthly  toil  is  not  in  vain,  if  it  be  in  the  Lord  (50-51). 

15.  I  make  known  unto  you.  There  is  a  suggestion  of  re- 
gret and  mild  reproach  in  these  words.  He  had  preached  the 
Gospel  to  them  and  they  had  received  it  and  were  being  saved  by 

124 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        15:5 

preached  it  unto  you,  if  ye  hold  it  fast,  except  ye  be- 

3.  lieved  ^  in  vain.    For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all 
that  which  also  I  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for 

4.  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures;  and  that  he  was 

buried  and  that  he  hath  been  raised  on  the  third 

5.  day  according  to  the  Scriptures;   and  that  he  ap- 

^  Or,  without  cause. 

it,  but  some  of  them  had  become  skeptical  about  one  of  its  vital 
doctrines — the  Resurrection.  He  must  therefore  make  it  known 
again  to  them,  i.e.,  explain  its  nature   and  import. 

2.  What  word.  This  expression  takes  the  place  of  "the  Gos- 
pel" in  the  previous  verse.  It  lays  stress  upon  "form"  rather 
than  substance.  The  story  of  the  Gospel  as  told  is  what  it  points 
to.  Paul  is  making  "a  challenge  to  memory  and  faith"  and  the 
verse  may  be  rendered  "I  make  known  unto  you,  I  say,  again 
my  account  of  the  Gospel  and  you  will  remember  it,  if  you  are 
holding   (it)    fast,  unless  your  faith  was  haphazard." 

3.  For — introducing  verses  3-4  which  explain  the  contents  of 
the  Gospel  which  had  been  proclaimed  to  them.  First  of  all  in 
importance,  not  time.  I  received  from  the  Apostles  and  others 
with  the  added  illumination  of  the  Spirit.  Here  follows  a  virtual 
Christian  creed.  Christ  died  for  sins.  There  is  a  real  connec- 
tion between  Christ's  death  and  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  His 
death  has  an  atoning  purpose  (Rom.  4:25).  According  to  the 
Scriptures.  Is.  53  is  the  main  prophecy  concerning  it.  It  was 
the  Resurrection  itself  which  threw  light  upon  this  word  (cf. 
Acts  8:29-35). 

4.  He  was  buried.  The  importance  of  this  statement  is  in 
its  witness  to  the  fact  that  Jesus  came  under  the  power  of  the 
grave.  It  certifies  His  death  and  implies  an  "empty  tomb"  in 
connection  with  the  Resurrection.  Hath  been  raised.  The 
Greek  form  signifies  not  only  that  He  rose  from  the  dead,  but 
also  that  He  is  now  living.  "His  resurrection  is  not  merely  an 
event  of  history  but  a  condition  and  a  power  of  life  present  and 
future."  The  third  day.  From  the  first  this  detail  has  been 
accepted  by  the  church.  A  resurrection  so  mysterious  as  that  of 
Jesus  could  have  taken  place  at  any  moment  after  the  body  was 
placed  in  the  grave.  The  belief  "in  the  day"  goes  back  ultimately 
to  the  word  of  Jesus  (Matt.  16:21,  17:23;  Lk.  9:22)  and  was 
confirmed  by  the  first  appearance  on  the  third  day. 

5.  Here  begins  the  list  of  witnesses,  not  of  the  resurrection 
itself,  for  that  no  one  saw,  but  of  the  risen  Lord.     And  that. 

125 


15:6       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

6.  peared  to  Cephas;  then  to  the  twelve;  then  he  ap- 
peared to  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once,  of 
whom  the  greater  part  remain  until  now;  but  some 

7.  are  fallen  asleep;  then  he  appeared  to  James;  then 

8.  to  all  the  Apostles;  and  last  of  all,  as  ^  unto  one 

9.  born  out  of  due  time,  he  appeared  to  me  also.  For 
I  am  the  least  of  the  Apostles  and  am  not  meet  to 
be  called  an  apostle,  because  I  persecuted  the  church 

^  SV,  to  the  child  untimely  bom. 

This  indicates  that  the  evidence  is  part  of  that  which  he  had 
received  and  delivered  to  them.  Cephas — cf.  Lk.  24:34.  Paul 
uses  this  Aramaic  name  for  Peter  always  in  this  letter  and  all 
but  twice  in  Galatians.  The  Twelve — an  official  title,  for  there 
were  but  really  eleven  Apostles  at  the  time  of  the  resurrection. 

6.  Above  five  hundred  at  once.  The  occasion  is  unknown 
but  it  is  usually  identified  with  Matt.  28:18-20;  see  also  Matt. 
28:10.  The  fact  that  many  of  these  were  living  when  Paul  wrote 
made  it  possible  still  to  get  full  evidence  at  first  hand.  Fallen 
asleep:  euphemism  for  death. 

7.  James.  This  is  James  the  Lord's  brother  (Gal.  1:19)  who 
became  prominent  as  a  leader  of  the  church  in  Jerusalem. 

8.  All  the  Apostles.  This  refers  to  the  original  band  of 
Apostles.  The  term  cannot  be  widened,  as  it  is  elsewhere  in  the 
New  Testament,  for  a  larger  number  of  Apostles  than  the  twelve 
was  not  possible  until  after  Pentecost.  It  means  all  who  were 
then  really  Apostles.  In  regard  to  this  list  it  is  to  be  noted 
that,  with  the  exception  of  the  group  of  five  hundred,  it  is  of 
men  of  the  highest  importance  in  the  church  whose  witness 
would  be  unquestioned.  Furthermore,  Paul's  knowledge,  much 
of  it,  regarding  the  resurrection  came  to  him  doubtless  during 
his  visit  to  Jerusalem  when  he  had  intercourse  with  Peter  and 
James  (Gal.  1:18).  Last  of  all.  The  appearance  to  Paul 
closed  the  appearances  of  our  Lord.  Born  out  of  due  time 
— a  violent  and  premature  birth.  The  other  Apostles,  when  the 
Lord  appeared  to  them,  were  already  children  of  the  household 
of  faith.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Jews  gave  Paul  the 
nickname  of  "the  Abortion." 

9.  For  I,  this  untimely  child,  because  as  such  I  was  imper- 
fectly developed  and  really  unfit  to  be  called  an  Apostle  and 
because  I  persecuted  the  Church  of  God,  am  the  least  of  the 
Apostles.    Remorse  for  this  fanatical  activity  against 

126 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:12 

10.  of  God.  But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am: 
and  his  grace  which  was  bestowed  upon  me  was  not 
found  ^vain;  but  I  labored  more  abundantly  than 

11.  they  all:  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was 
with  me.  Whether  then  it  be  I  or  they,  so  we  preach, 
and  so  ye  believed. 

2.   Four  reductio  ad  absurdum  arguments  from  the 

assertion  of  some  that  ''dead  men  do  not 

rise,"  15:12-34 

12.  Now  if  Christ  is  preached  that  he  hath  been  raised 
from  the  dead,  how  say  some  among  you  that  there 

^  Or,    ineffectual. 

10.  the  church  never  left  Paul.  What  he  had  been  in  himself 
and  what  he  yet  was,  set  over  against  what  he  had  become 
through  God's  grace,  and  what,  by  that  same  grace,  he  was 
enabled  to  do,  was  the  source  of  his  deep  humility  on  one  side 
and  of  his  just  pride  on  the  other.  He  attributed  all  that  he 
accomplished  to  the  power  of  God  working  through  him  and 
with  him  (with  me).  Thus  he  had  toiled  more  abundantly 
than  all  the  other  Apostles  together. 

11.  "Yet  not  I,"  he  says,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with 
me,"  and  the  case  is  the  same  whether  "I  or  they"  (the  Twelve 
or  James)  are  the  preachers,  for  they  preached  the  risen  Lord 
whom  they  had  seen,  and  you  believed  their  witness  and  its 
import. 

12.  Paul  has  shown  upon  what  a  solid,  reliable  basis  rests  the 
belief  of  the  church  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  All  the  Apostles 
and  many  others  had  been  eye  witnesses  of  the  Risen  Lord,  and 
they  had  been  preaching  the  fact  and  its  significance  with  telling 
power.  Furthermore,  this  doctrine  had  been  accepted  by  them. 
They  believed  that  Christ  had  risen  from  the  dead.  How  could 
they,  then,  say  that  "there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  resurrection  of 
dead  (men)  ?  This  we  are  to  remember  was  not  the  equivalent 
of  their  saying  that  they  had  no  belief  in  a  future  life.  It  bears 
wholly  upon  bodily  resurrection.  It  was  not  immortality  of  the 
soul  that  was  in  question,  but  resurrection  of  the  body.  Of 
course,  if  this  sweeping  denial  had  any  truth  in  it,  then  Christ 
had  not  been  raised. 

127 


15:13     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

13.  is  no  resurrection  of  the  dead?  But  if  there  is  no 
resurrection   of  the  dead   neither  has  Christ   been 

14.  raised:  and  if  Christ  hath  not  been  raised,  then  is 
our   preaching   ^  vain,    ^  your   faith   also   is    ^  vain. 

15.  Yea,  and  we  are  found  false  witnesses  of  God;  be- 
cause we  witnessed  of  God  that  he  raised  up  ^  Christ: 
whom  he  raised  not  up,  if  so  be  that  the  dead  are 

16.  not  raised.     For  if  the  dead  are  not  raised  neither 

^  Or,   void.     ^  Some  ancient  authorities  read   our.      ^  Qr.,    the   Christ. 

a.  First  argument:  If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  Christ  is  not  risen 

and  our  preaching  and  your  faith  are  empty, 
15:13-15 

13.  Two  consequences  of  such  an  issue  are  now  set  forth,  (i) 
Their  preaching  of  the  doctrine  is  void  and  they  are  made  liars 
(14)       (2)   Their  faith  is  empty    (14). 

14.  Our  preaching  is  vain.  The  word  translated  vain  sig- 
nifies "empty,"  "void."  If  Christ  had  not  been  raised,  then  they 
had  been  preaching  an  empty  gospel.  And  what  was  that  gos- 
pel? Weinel  gives  it  as  follows:  "That  there  had  come  forth  a 
man  out  of  Nazareth  mighty  in  deed  and  in  word,  that  the  Jews 
had  killed  him,  that  they  made  him  die  the  ignominious  death 
of  a  criminal,  that  this  man  was  the  Son  of  God,  that  His  death 
had  taken  place  on  account  of  sin,  that  God  had  manifested  Him 
as  His  Son  beyond  and  after  death  by  raising  Him  from  the 
dead  and  that  this  resurrection  was  known  by  experience  to  His 
disciples."    All  this  was  void,  if  Christ  had  not  been  raised. 

15.  What  is  more,  their  faith  is  also  void.  There  is  nothing 
left  for  them  to  believe.  They  have  no  risen  Christ  upon  whom 
salvation  depends. 

b.  Second  argument:  If  dead  m^n  do  not  rise,  Christ  is  not 
risen,  (a)  your  faith  is  futile,  (b)  the  Christian  dead  have 
perished,  (c)  we  who  have  hoped  in  Christ  in  this  life  are 
of  all  men  to  be  pitied  most.    A  prophecy,  15:16-28. 

Preaching  what  is  not  true,  we  are  beginning  to  be  found 
out  as  false  witnesses  of  God,  lit.  against  God,  because  we 
have  declared  once  and  again  that  God  raised  Christ  from  the 
dead.  Either  He  did,  or  we  have  lied  in  saying  that  He  did. 
Paul  hints   at  no   self-deception   or  hallucination  in   the  matter, 

128 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:19 


17 


hath  Christ  been  raised:  and  if  Christ  hath  not  been 
raised,  your  faith  is  vain;  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins. 
Then  they  also  which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ 
have  perished.  '  If  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope 
in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  pitiable. 


Or,    If  we   have   only  hoped  in   Christ  in   this  lifi 


Neither  one  entered  his  thought.     The  alternative  was  fact,  or 
deliberate  lying.  ,      ^      ,   ,        r      »     •  .. 

17.  (a)  Faith  is  vain.  The  word  in  the  Greek  here  for  vain 
is  not  the  same  as  in  verse  14.  Here  it  means  without  effect  or 
results,  hence,  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins.  Why?  Because  jus- 
tification depends  upon  His  resurrection.  Only  through  His 
risen  life  can  Christ  come  into  such  living  union  with  men  that 
their  sins  are  forgiven.  Furthermore,  through  His  risen  life  He 
becomes  a  "life-creating  spirit"  in  purifying  us  from  sin  and 
strengthening  us  in  goodness  (see  Rom.  4:25,  6:4-11).  _ 

18  (6)  Then,  too,  those  who  have  "fallen  asleep"  m  Christ 
have  perished.  They  were  yet  in  their  sins  if  Christ  has  not 
been  raised  from  the  dead.  "The  sense  of  His  presence  and  the 
promises  of  His  gospel  turned  their  death  into  sleep."  But  they 
awoke  in  perdition!  .  •,  •     r-u  •  * 

19  (c)  "If  all  we  have  done  is  merely  having  hoped  m  Lnrist 
in  this  life"  (Alford)  and  there  it  ends  with  nothing  to  look  for 
bevond,  then  we  are  most  to  be  pitied.  The  Christian  life  itself 
is 'a  monstrous  delusion!  Magnificent  hopes  end  in  blank  dis- 
appointment! Paul  is  not  thinking  here  of  goodness  which  is 
looking  simply  for  reward— a  form  of  selfishness— but  of  that 
desire  for  a  nobler,  higher  life  with  God  and  in  God  for  ends 
outside  of  self  which  our  few  years  here  are  all  too  brief  to 
attain.  t^     ,  . 

A  review  of  these  arguments  will  show  that  Paul  is  not  argu- 
ing primarily  with  unbelievers  but  with  inconsistent  Christians. 
He  appeals  both  to  fact  (17)  and  to  rational  feeling  (18-19). 
What  he  says  about  being  "yet  in  their  sins  if  Christ  had 
not  risen"  the  members  of  the  church  understood  from  experi- 
ence It  was  the  risen  Christ  who  had  brought  them  out 
of  their  pagan,  sinful  living  and  they  could  not  but  feel  the 
force  of  the  arguments  of  verses  18-19.  A  doctrine  which  m- 
volved  such  monstrous  conclusions  could  not  be  true.  It  is  not 
true.  Christ  is  risen!  And  the  Apostle  turns  to  consider  the 
effect  of  this  great  fact.    In  so  doing  he  passes  from  argument  to 

129 


15:20     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

20.  But  now  hath  Christ  been  raised  from  the  dead  the 

21.  first  fruits  of  them  that  are  asleep.     For  since  by 
man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrection 

22.  of  the  dead.     For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  also  in 

23.  ^  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.     But  each  in  his 
own  order:  Christ  the  first  fruits;  then  they  that  are 

^  Gr.,    the   Christ. 

prophecy    (spirit-inspired,  exalted  teaching),  the  theme  of  which 
is  the  outcome  of  the  Resurrection  of  Jesus,  summed  up, — 
(i)  The  resurrection  of  all  believers  "at  His  coming"; 

(2)  The  bringing  to  naught  of  all  that  opposes  Him,  even 
death  itself; 

(3)  The  giving  up  the  Kingdom  to  the  Father  that  God  may  be 
all  in  all  (20-28). 

20.  Christ  .  .  .  the  first  fruits  of  them  that  are  asleep. 
The  figure  is  from  Lev.  23:10-12.  As  the  harvest  in  ancient 
Israel  was  ready  to  be  gathered,  the  priest  was  to  take  a  sheaf 
from  it  and  wave  it  before  the  Lord,  a  pledge  that  the  whole 
harvest  belonged  to  the  Lord.  The  first  fruits  were,  of  course, 
in  kind  like  the  harvest.  The  resurrected  Jesus  was  by  analogy 
a  pledge  of  that  harvest  of  resurrection  which  should  include  all 
believers. 

21.  As  between  the  sheaf  and  the  harvest  there  is  likeness  of 
nature,  so  Jesus  as  man,  risen  from  the  dead,  is  the  pledge  of  the 
resurrection  of  believing  men.  As  through  man  came  death,  so 
through  man  cometh  resurrection  of  dead  men. 

22.  For — confirming  and  explaining  verse  21.  All  in  Adam 
die.  This  is  universal  since  all  men  are  descended  from  Adam. 
All  in  the  Christ  (in  the  Messiah)  shall  be  made  alive.  This 
is  limited  to  believers  and  for  the  following  reasons:  (i)  in 
Christ  according  to  Paul  means  in  vital  relationship  with  Christ, 
i.e.,  a  spiritual  relationship.  Only  believers  have  this.  (2)  The 
expressions  used  in  the  text  on  each  side  of  this  verse  indicate 
the  same  limitation  in  the  Apostle's  thought.  See  "those  who 
have  fallen  asleep"  in  verses  18,  20  and  "they  that  are  Christ's 
at  his  coming.  (3)  Otherwise  the  thought  of  universal  resur- 
rection is  introduced  into  a  chapter  devoted  to  the  fact  and 
significance  of  the  resurrection  of  believers. 

23.  But  each  in  his  own  order.  Order  signifies  company, 
troop,  division.  It  is  military  metaphor.  Christ  constitutes  the 
first;  all  who  belong  to  Christ,  the  second.    The  time  of  the 

130 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:26 

24.  Christ's  at  his  ^  coming.  Then  cometh  the  end, 
when  he  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  ^  God,  even 
the  Father;   when  he  shall  have  abolished  all  rule 

25.  and  all  authority  and  power.     For  he  must  reign, 

26.  till  he  hath  put  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet.    The 

^  Gr.,    presence.  ^  Gr.,    the    God    and    Father. 

resurrection  of  this  second  division  is  at  his  coming.  To  Paul 
this  was  the  great  "second  coming"  (as  it  is  named  by  us)  of 
the  Lord  (cf.  i  Thess.  2:19;  3:13;  4:15;  2  Thess.  2:1;  i  Cor. 
1:7-8). 

24.  Then  cometh  the  end.  The  end  of  what?  Not  of  res- 
urrection as  though  there  were  a  third  "division,"  but  the  abso- 
lute end — the  conclusion  of  the  world's  history.  The  following 
reasons  are  given  for  this  interpretation  of  "the  end":  (i)  The 
figure  "first  fruits"  calls  for  only  two  divisions  of  resurrection. 
(2)  That  there  is  to  be  understood  the  word  "resurrection"  after 
"the  end"  is  an  assumption.  Such  an  important  word  is  not 
usually  left  out  of  a  Greek  sentence.  (3)  Paul  nowhere  else 
gives  countenance  to  the  doctrine  of  two  resurrections  (of  men) 
separated  by  an  interval.  (4)  The  definition  which  follows  the 
words  "the  end"  suits  better  the  absolute  end  than  the  end  of 
resurrection.  When  he  shall  deliver  up  the  Kingdom.  This 
is  simultaneous  with  the  end  and  means  that  Christ's  mediatorial 
work  will  be  accomplished.  The  reign  of  sin  and  death  will  have 
come  to  an  end.  Christ  will  give  up  His  mediatorial  function. 
"Now  we  see  God  and  experience  His  action  through  the  God- 
man  who  represents  Him  to  us;  then  Christ  will  have  brought 
us  to  the  Father;  we  shall  enjoy  Beatific  Vision  and  immediate 
union  with  God  Himself."  The  English  is  framed  like  the  Greek 
to  show  that  before  this  giving  up  of  the  Kingdom,  at  the  end, 
he  shall  have  abolished  all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power. 
This  denotes  all  opposition,  whether  heavenly  or  on  earth — 
Angelic,  demonic,  human. 

25.  For  he  must  reign — explanatory  and  confirmatory  of  what 
is  just  declared  in  verse  24.  The  time  of  this  "reigning"  is  now 
and  continues  until  "the  end." 

26.  The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  abolished  is  death.  This 
is  accomplished  in  the  resurrection  of  "those  who  belong  to 
Christ"  (vs.  23).  Towards  this  goal  Paul's  thought  moves,  in 
setting  for  it  the  meaning  of  the  Lord's  coming  at  the  end. 
Christ  hath  been  raised.     He  now  reigns  and  shall  continue  so 


15:27     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

27.  last  enemy  that  shall  be  abolished  is  death.  For, 
he  hath  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his  feet. 
^  But  when  he  saith  all  things  are  put  in  subjection, 
it  is  evident  that  he  is  excepted  who  did  subject  all 

28.  things  unto  him.  And  when  all  things  have  been 
subjected  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son  also  himself 
be  subjected  to  him  that  did  subject  all  things  unto 
him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all. 

^  Or,  But  when^  he  shall  have  said,  All  things  are  put  in  subjection 
{evidently  excepting  him  that  did  subject  all  things  unto  him)  when, 
I  say  all  things,  etc. 

to  do  until  every  enemy  is  put  under  His  feet.  His  coming  at 
the  end  shall  be  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  His  last  enemy, 
Death  (death  is  personified),  and  the  evidence  of  it  shall  be  the 
resurrection  of  those  who  belong  to  Him.  Then  He  shall  give 
up  His  mediatorial  position  for  His  work  shall  be  accomplished. 
Death  and  sin  shall  have  been  vanquished. 

27.  The  insertion  of  names  in  the  place  of  the  somewhat  con- 
fusing pronouns  will  facilitate  the  understanding  of  this  verse. 
When  God  (or  Christ)  shall  have  announced:  "All  things  (see 
above)  are  in  subjection"  it  is  evident  that  God  is  excepted  Who 
did  subject  all  things  unto  Christ  and  when  all  things  have 
been  subjected  to  Christ  then  shall  He  (the  Son)  also  Himself 
be  subjected  *  to  God  (the  Father)  Who  subjected  all  things  to 
Christ   (the  Son)    that  God  may  be  all  in  all. 

In  Paul's  thought  creation  is  intimately  related  to  redemption 
(Col.  1:16).  It  has  the  Messianic  stamp  upon  it,  as  the  stage 
upon  which  the  great  drama  of  the  world's  redemption  is  enacted. 
In  the  end  the  purpose  of  it  will  be  fulfilled.  The  emphasis  in 
the  passage  is  upon  subjection,  or,  perhaps  better,  subordina- 
tion. Whether  it  is  the  equivalent  of  reconciliation  as  far  as 
"all  things"  are  concerned  is  one  of  the  earnest  questions  of 
modern  thought.  In  considering  it,  it  is  well  to  remember  what 
Paul  says  in  Phil.  2:9-11.  These  verses  (24-28)  are,  like  Chapter 
13,  an  instance  of  exalted  prophecy.  Much  in  them  passes  our 
comprehension.  God  will  be  all  in  all  in  the  realm  which  Christ 
delivers  up  to  Him.    The  note  in  it  all  is  one  of  triumph. 

*  The  subordination  of  Christ  is  a  distinct  teaching  of  Paul  (Gal. 
4:4;  Col.  1:19).  It  is  a  subordination  of  office  or  function  rather 
than  of  nature.  The  sovereignty  of  Christ  did  not  cease  with  the 
delivering  up  of  the  Kiagdom,  only  His  function  as  Mediator  (see 
Eph.   5:5). 

132 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:30 


29.  Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for 
the  dead?  If  the  dead  are  not  raised  at  all,  why 
then  are  they  baptized  for  them? 

30.  Why  do  we  also  stand  in  jeopardy  every  hour?     I 


c.    Third  argument:   If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  Baptism  for  the 
dead  is  of  no  avail,  15:29 

In  offering  further  support  of  the  resurrection  Paul  now  brings 
forward  arguments  which  are  virtually  ad  hominem.  Baptism 
for  the  dead  is  futile  if  there  be  no  resurrection. 

29.  Else  {i.e.,  if  there  be  no  resurrection  of  the  dead)  what 
shall  they  do  who  are  baptized  for  the  dead?  As  helpful 
in  leading  to  a  just  interpretation  of  this  perplexing  question 
several  points  must  be  noted,  (i)  The  words  "they  who  are 
baptized,"  without  further  definition,  refer  to  those  who  have 
received  Christian  baptism.  It  is  not,  therefore,  probable  that 
Paul  is  here  alluding  to  any  rite  of  substitutionary  baptism  con- 
nected with  pagan  mystery-religions.  (2)  For  the  dead  refers 
not  to  the  dead  in  general  but  to  those  who  were  in  some  way 
connected  with  "those  who  were  baptized,"  i.e.,  with  Christians. 
It  implies  that  "the  dead"'  were  Christians.  (3)  Vicarious  bap- 
tism, i.e.,  the  baptism  of  a  living  Christian  as  a  proxy  for  anyone 
who  had  died  unbaptized,  is  so  foreign  to  Paul's  ethical  concep- 
tion of  baptism  that  such  a  magical  view  deserves  no  more 
than  a  passing  notice.  There  is  no  evidence  that  vicarious  bap- 
tism was  practiced  anywhere  in  the  church  in  Paul's  time. 
Keeping  these  points  in  view,  the  most  natural  interpretation  is 
that  through  affection  for  one  who  had  died  and  who  had  prayed 
for  those  who  were  dear  to  him,  they  had  been  led  to  Christ  and 
were  baptized  in  the  hope  of  reunion  with  him  who  had  gone. 
Findlay,  to  whose  exposition  of  this  verse  I  am  indebted,  illus- 
trates by  the  case  of  a  dying  mother  who  wins  her  son  by  the 
appeal  "Meet  me  in  heaven!"  Futile  would  be  any  such  hope 
if  there  were  no  resurrection. 

d.   Fourth  argument:  If  dead  men  do  not  rise,  daily  risk  and 
danger  have  no  meaning,  15:30-34 

30  Why  do  we  also  stand  in  jeopardy  every  hour  (Rom. 
8-36;  2  Cor.  4:10-12).  The  list  of  perils  found  in  2  Cor. 
11:23-27  will  amply  confirm  this  fact  of  "jeopardy  every  hour" 
as  far  as  Paul  is  concerned.  Silas  and  Timothy,  doubtless,  had 
like  risks. 


15:31     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

31.  protest  by  ^  that  glorying  in  you  brethren,  which  I 

32.  have  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  die  daily.  If  after 
the  manner  of  men  I  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus, 
^  what  does  it  profit  me?    If  the  dead  are  not  raised, 

^T,.  let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  tomorrow  we  die.  Be  not 
deceived ;   ^  evil  company  doth  corrupt  good  man- 

34.  ners.  *  Awake  up  righteously,  and  sin  not;  for 
some  have  no  knowledge  of  God.  I  speak  this  to 
move  you  to  shame. 

^  Or,  your  glorying. 

*  Or,  what  doth  it  profit  me,  if  the  dead  are  not  raised?  Let  us 
eat,   etc.  ^  SV,  Evil  companionships  corrupt  good  morals. 

*  Gr.,  awake  out  of  drunkenness  righteously.  SV,  awake  to  sober- 
ness   righteously. 

31.  I  die  daily.  Death  menaced  him  every  day.  That  is  as 
true,  he  assures  them,  as  his  pride  in  them  "in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord." 

32.  After  the  manner  of  men.  Looking  at  the  matter  as 
any  ordinary  man  would  who  is  without  the  incentives  and  hopes 
of  Christian  faith.  What  profit  would  I  have  if  I  fought  with 
the  beasts  at  Ephesus?  None  whatever.  "The  beasts  of 
Ephesus"  are  not  to  be  taken  literally.  As  a  Roman  citizen 
Paul  could  not  be  compelled  to  fight  in  the  arena.  His  con- 
flict was  with  infuriated  men.  The  tumult  caused  by  Demetrius 
(Acts  19)  was  probably  later.  Let  us  eat  and  drink  for  to- 
morrow we  die  (cf.  Is.  22:13).  This  is  not  Paul's  conclu- 
sion. It  is  what  men  generally  say  who  have  no  belief  in  a 
future  life  and  seek  their  satisfactions  in  the  present  (cf.  Wisd. 

2:5-9). 

33.  Be  not  deceived.  Let  no  one  captivate  you  with  such 
immoral  teachings.  "Evil  companionships  corrupt  good  morals" 
— and  the  doubts  and  laxity  which  some  of  you  exhibit,  mark  a 
moral  torpor.  The  quotation  is  from  Menander,  an  Athenian 
poet  (who  died  in  291  b.c).    It  is  here  in  the  form  of  a  proverb. 

34.  Awake.  The  verb  originally  means  "to  recover  from 
drunkenness";  metaphorically,  "to  get  a  sober  mind,"  "to  get 
back  to  one's  sober  senses."  Righteously,  as  is  right,  as  one 
ought  to  do.  And  sin  not.  Stop  going  wrong  in  evil  com- 
panionship. Some  of  you  have  an  ignorance  of  God.  This 
expression  is  stronger  than  "do  not  know  God."  It  marks  a 
culpable  ignorance,  a  moral  defect  rather  than  an  intellectual. 
It  was  the  root   of  their  disbelief  in  the  resurrection.     Surely 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:36 


3.  Objectors  answered;  the  Body  of  the  risen,  15:35-49 

35.  But  someone  will  say,  How  are  the  dead  raised? 

36.  and  with  what  manner  of  body  do  they  come?   Thou 

they  had  been  corrupted  by  evil  company.  They  were  really 
worse  than  the  heathen  about  them  for  they  had  stifled  what 
knowledge  of  God  they  once  had.  With  right  could  Paul  say 
"I  speak  to  move  you  to  shame." 

3.    Objectors  Amwered:  The  Body  of  the  Risen,  15:35-49 

Thus  far  Paul  has  sought  to  make  clear  to  the  Corinthians  that 
the  Resurrection  which  he  had  preached  to  them  and  which  the 
Old  Testament  had  predicted  was  an  historical  fact  witnessed 
to  by  the  Apostles  and  himself  (i-ii)  ;  that  the  denial  of  the 
fact  emptied  the  Gospel  of  its  substance  and  made  faith  futile 
(12-19)  ;  that  the  acceptance  of  the  fact  gave  a  basis  for  the 
assurance  of  the  resurrection  of  all  Christ's  followers  and  of  the 
completion  of  his  mediatorial  work  (20-28).  After  an  appeal  to 
Christian  practice  and  conduct  as  confirming  all  he  had  claimed 
and  after  rebuking  some  of  them  for  their  willingness  to  be  led 
astray  by  their  evil  companionship,  he  turns  to  consider  the  real 
crux  of  the  whole  subject,  so  far  as  the  Corinthians  were  con- 
cerned,— the  matter  of  the  "body"  in  reference  to  resurrection. 
This  was  the  stumbling  block,  due  to  the  possible  influence  of 
Greek  thought  and  to  their  materialistic  conceptions.  "With 
what  manner  of  body  do  they  come?"  is  asked.  The  answer  to 
this  question  is  another  example  of  prophecy  and  it  constitutes 
the  central  section  of  this  great  chapter.  He  begins  with  an 
analogy  from  nature.  In  sowing  a  seed,  it  is  only  through  the 
process  of  disorganization  that  you  get  a  new  seed  with  its  new 
body  which  God  has  given  to  it,  each  seed  (whether  of  wheat, 
barley,  etc.)  having  its  own  body  (36-38) .  Nature  is  not  shut 
up  to  one  kind  of  body.  Men,  beasts,  birds  and  fishes  have  each 
a  different  kind.  There  are  celestial  bodies  and  terrestrial,  each 
having  its  own  glory.  The  sun,  moon,  and  the  stars  differ,  yes, 
one  star  differeth  from  another.  Just  so  the  resurrection  shall 
reveal  a  different  body  for  man — with  characteristics  quite  op- 
posed to  his  present  body  (39-44).  He  shall  have  a  "spiritual 
body"  and  that  shall  be  because  of  his  relation  to  Christ,  who  is 
a  life-giving  Spirit.  As  Adam  is  the  type  of  one  form  of  embodied 
life — so  Christ  is  the  type  of  the  other — the  one  of  the  earth, 
earthy;  the  other  of  heaven,  heavenly.     As  we  have  borne  the 

135 


15:37     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

foolish  one,  that  which  thou  thyself  sowest  is  not 

37.  quickened,  except  it  die:  and  that  which  thou  sow- 
est, thou  sowest  not  the  body  that  shall  be,  but  a 
bare  grain,  it  may  chance  of  wheat  or  of  some  other 

38.  kind:  but  God  giveth  it  a  body  even  as  it  pleased 

39.  him,  and  to  each  seed  a  body  of  its  own.  All  flesh 
is  not  the  same  flesh,  but  there  is  one  flesh  of  men, 
and  another  flesh  of  beasts,  and  another  flesh  of 

40.  birds,  and  another  of  fishes.     There  are  also  celes- 

image  of  the  earthy,  so  we  shall  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly 
(48-49) . 

35.  The  two  questions  of  this  verse  have  a  different  bearing. 
The  first,  "How  are  the  dead  raised  up?"  implies  the  impossi- 
bility of  resurrection;  the  second,  "with  what  manner  of  body 
do  they  come?"  the  inconceivability  of  it.  The  second  question 
is  considered  first  and  answered  by  analogy. 

36.  Life  is  perpetuated  through  disorganization  of  the  seed. 
The  shell  is  broken  and  the  life  assimilates  what  is  needful  for 
its  new  form. 

37.  The  bare  seed  (stripped  of  all  covering)  put  into  the 
ground  is  not  the  same  as  that  which  appears  above  the  earth 
on  the  stalk, — a  grain  or  seed  of  wheat,  or  barley. 

38.  Each  seed  develops  its  own  kind,  we  say;  "God  giveth  it 
a  body  as  He  will,  but  to  each  seed  a  body  of  its  own,"  says 
Paul.  Each,  from  a  different  point  of  view,  is  true.  The 
analogy  establishes  two  relationships  between  the  seed  in  the 
ground  and  the  one  springing  from  it  in  the  process  of  growth 
— continuity  of  Ufe  and  identity — these  we  may  carry  over  to 
the  resurrection.  The  mystery  of  growth  is  not  touched  in  this 
analogy — only  the  manner. 

39.  As  preparatory  to  the  declaration  that  the  spirit  will  have 
in  the  resurrection  life  a  body  fitted  to  its  environment  there, 
attention  is  called  to  the  wealth  of  variety  there  is  in  "bodies" 
in  the  universe.  Flesh  is  differently  organized  in  men,  beasts, 
birds  and  fish.  What  a  difference  between  the  body  of  a  bird 
organized  for  flight  in  the  air,  and  of  a  fish  for  moving  in  the 
water ! 

40.  Celestial  bodies  and  bodies  terrestrial.  It  is  not  cer- 
tain whether  by  "celestial  bodies"  is  meant  the  sun,  moon,  stars, 
or  the  bodies  of  heavenly  beings  like  angels.  Paul's  use  of  the 
word  body   as  the  "organism"   which   results  from  life,  would 

136 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:43 

tial  bodies  and  bodies  terrestrial :  but  the  glory  of  the 
celestial  is  one  and  the  glory  of  the  terrestrial  is 

41.  another.  There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  an- 
other glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the 
stars;   for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in 

42.  glory.  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
sown   in  corruption;    it   is   raised   in   incorruption: 

43.  it  is  sown  in  dishonor;  it  is  raised  in  glory:   it  is 


argue  for  the  latter  meaning.  This  is  the  more  probable  inter- 
pretation (see  vs.  48).  Angels  were  represented  in  the  form  of 
men,  but  with  their  own  especial  glory.  The  difference  of  their 
embodiment  from  ours  is  indicated  in  the  words  of  Jesus — Lk. 
20:34-36.  Glory  is  manifestation — of  "being,  character  or 
merely  presence."  The  manifestation  of  earthly  bodies  is  in 
earthly  ways.  The  swift  flight  of  a  bird  or  its  brilliant  plumage 
is  its  glory.  The  strength  and  intelligence  of  a  horse  are  its 
glory. 

41.  The  brilliant  light  of  the  sun;  the  paler  silvery  light  of 
the  moon,  and  the  radiance  of  the  stars — all  these  are  different 
forms  of  manifestation  or  of  glory.  Even  one  star  differeth  from 
another.  How  bright  is  the  planet  as  compared  with  a  fixed 
star ! 

42.  In  view  of  all  this,  is  it  strange  that  there  should  be  a 
body  for  the  resurrection  life?  On  the  contrary,  a  body  suitable 
for  the  new  glorious  life  into  which  the  spirit  is  to  go  is  what 
we  may  and  should  expect.  So  is  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead. 

43.  The  characteristics  of  that  "suitable"  body  are  now  given 
— in  contrast  with  those  which  mark  our  present  body.  It  is 
sown.  This  also  may  be  rendered  "there  is  a  sowing."  The 
figure  is  of  the  seed  and  the  sowing  is  not  to  be  restricted  to  the 
act  of  burial.  The  seed  is  sown  before  it  dies  (vs.  36) .  All 
our  earthly  course  is  the  time  of  "sowing."  Corruption. 
("The  moment  we  begin  to  live,  we  begin  to  die.")  Dishonor 
— caused  by  the  many  and  varied  humiliating  conditions  of 
earthly  Hfe.  Weakness.  Often  we  are  incapable  of  executing 
our  purposes  or  desires  through  frailty,  weariness,  or  infirmity 
(cf.  2  Cor.  12:9).  Over  against  these  are  set  the  attributes  of 
the  body  of  the  resurrected  life,  incorruptible,  glorious,  power- 
ful. These  characteristics  of  the  glorified  body  are  drawn  from 
that  of  the  Lord  about  which  Paul  and   the   Corinthians  knew 


15:44     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

44.  sown  in  weakness;  it  is  raised  in  power:  it  is  sown  a 
^natural  body;  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  If 
there  is  a  ^  natural  body,  there  is  also  a  spiritual 

45.  body.  So  also  it  is  written,  The  first  man  Adam 
became  a  living  soul.     The  last  Adam  became  a 

^  Gr.,   psychical. 

more  than  the  opening  verses  of  the  chapter  make  evident.  The 
contrast  given  in  the  next  verse  needs  more  extended  interpre- 
tation. 

44.  It  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual 
body.  A  psychical  (sensuous  is  our  nearest  equivalent)  body 
is  one  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  soul  in  a  material  environ- 
ment; a  spiritual  body,  to  the  activity  of  the  spirit  in  a  heavenly 
environment.  In  neither  case  does  the  adjective  tell  us  what 
the  body  is  made  of;  it  simply  marks  its  suitability.  The  sen- 
suous body  is  the  body  ruled  by  sense;  the  spiritual  body,  by 
spirit.  A  spiritual  body,  for  all  we  know,  may  be  constituted 
of  refined  forms  of  matter.  We  know  nothing  about  its  sub- 
stance. Our  faith  is  that  it  will  be  "formed  to  be  the  organ" 
of  an  immortal,  tireless  spirit.  How  did  Paul  come  to  this? 
It  sounds  like  a  mere  assumption  to  say  "if  there  is  a  natural 
body,  there  is  also  a  spiritual  body."  The  conclusion  rests  in 
part  upon  the  revelation  made  by  Christ's  resurrection  and  in 
part  upon  the  principle  that  "when  God  gives  the  inward  He 
gives  also  its  appropriate  outward  garb  or  frame."  God  hath 
given  us  His  Spirit — the  source  and  means  of  our  spirit-life — 
and  it  is  the  "pledge"  that  we  shall  have  "a  house  from  heaven" 
(2  Cor.  5:5).  Not  only  does  the  principle  in  the  light  of  Christ's 
resurrection  justify  our  faith  regarding  "a  spiritual  body"  but 
God's  plan  calls  for  it.    This  is  opened  up  in  the  next  verse. 

45.  So  also  it  is  written,  The  first  man  Adam  became  a 
living  soul:  the  last  Adam  a  life-giving  spirit.  Note  regard- 
ing the  text  (i)  that  the  quotation  from  the  Old  Testament 
(Gen.  2:7)  stops  with  the  words  "living  soul."  Paul  himself 
adds  the  last  clause.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  this  could  not 
come  from  the  Old  Testament;  (2)  that  in  Gen.  2:7  the  words 
"first"  and  "Adam"  are  not  found.  They  are,  however,  both 
implied.  In  Paul's  mind  Adam  and  Christ  are  the  heads  of  two 
lines  of  descendants  (cf.  Rom.  5:12;  i  Cor.  15:22),  hence  he 
uses  Adam  metaphorically  for  Christ  and  names  him  "the  last 
Adam,"  meaning  that  there  will  be  no  other.  In  the  divine 
plan  with  reference  to  man  there  are  two  stages.     Gen,  2:7  gives 

138 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:48 

46.  life-giving  spirit.    Howbeit  that  is  not  first  which  is 
spiritual  but  that  which  is  natural;  then  that  which 

47.  is  spiritual.     The  first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy: 

48.  the  second  man  is  of  heaven.    As  is  the  earthy,  such 
are  they  also  that  are  earthy:  and  as  is  the  heavenly, 


us  the  first  stage.  In  this  stage  God  breathed  the  vital  prin- 
ciple into  the  lifeless  body  which  had  been  formed  from  the 
dust  of  the  ground,  and  man  became  "a  living  soul."  To  put 
it  in  another  way,  the  result  was  a  soul-governed  body.  He 
became  man  "as  nature  presents  him  to  our  experience."  The 
goal  of  this  first  stage  was  reached  when  man  stood  forth  perfect 
in  his  physical  organization.  He  was,  however,  of  the  earth, 
earthy  (vs.  47).  His  body  was  a  natural  (psychical)  body 
encasing  a  soul  that  was  capable  of  the  spiritual.  That  capa- 
bility of  the  spiritual  points  forward  to  the  second  and  higher 
stage.  It  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  thought  of  the  Apostle 
is  limited  to  the  consideration  of  body.  The  second  stage  de- 
pendent, not  upon  spiritual  development  in  man,  but  upon 
Christ,  the  last  Adam,  who  is  a  life-giving  spirit,  will  reveal 
man  not  only  as  spiritual  within,  but  as  furnished  with  a  spir- 
itual body.  And  when  did  Christ  become  a  "life-giving  spirit"? 
When,  through  the  resurrection,  He  became  the  risen  and  glori- 
fied Lord.  Then,  leaving  the  fettering  form  of  psychical  ex- 
istence, He  entered  upon  the  Spiritual  form  and  "was  installed 
as  Son  of  God  with  power  by  the  Spirit  of  holiness"  (Rom. 
1:4) — "a  Being  above  nature  who  had  life  and  was  capable  of 
communicating  it"   (cf.  Jn.  17:1-3).     See  verse  2. 

46.  Howbeit  that  is  not  first  which  is  spiritual.  A  state- 
ment of  the  law  of  progress  but  with  special  bearing  upon  the 
matter  of  the  body.  Man  was  not  created  morally  perfect. 
He  must  progress  from  the  natural  to  the  spiritual.  The  spir- 
itual body  can  come  only  to  one  who  has  accepted  and  lived  in 
the  life  of  the  Spirit. 

47.  The  first  man  is  of  the  earth  and  of  the  dust.  This 
describes  his  origin  and  substance.  "And  the  Lord  formed  man 
of  the  dust  of  the  ground"  (Gen.  2:7).  Of  heaven.  These 
words  refer  to  the  Risen  Lord.  It  is  thence  comes  the  life-giving 
spirit  (2  Cor.  3:17-18).  From  His  resurrection  onward  Christ 
is  "the  heavenly  man"  through  whose  spiritual  quickening  shall 
come  not  only  a  transformed  spirit  but  a  spiritual  body  (Rom. 
8:10-11). 

48.  And  is  the  earthy.    Adam  and  Christ  are  representatives 


15  49     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

49.  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly.  And  as  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthly  ^  we  shall  bear 
the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

4.  The  change  that  shall  come  to  those  who  are  alive 
when  Christ  comes;  Conclusion,  15:50-58 

50.  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  can- 
not inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God;  neither  doth  cor- 
ruption inherit  incorruption. 

^  Many  ancient  authorities  read  let  us  also  hear. 

of  two  types.  The  emphasis  is  still  upon  body.  As  long  as 
men,  whetlier  Christians  or  not,  are  in  the  physical  body,  they 
are  subject  to  the  liabilities  of  the  earthly  body — corruption, 
dishonor,  weakness.  In  the  heavenly  state  those  who  belong  to 
Christ  shall  have  the  glorified  body  as  he  now  has  (Phil.  3:21). 
49.  As  we  have  borne  the  image,  i.e.,  the  outward  and 
bodily  form  of  the  man  of  dust,  we  shall  bear  the  likeness  of 
the  heavenly  man.  Many  ancient  manuscripts  read  "let  us  bear," 
but  a  moral  appeal  is  not  in  line  with  Paul's  thinking  here.  The 
main  subject  all  through  these  verses  (35-49)  is  the  spiritual 
body.  We  cannot  be  exhorted  to  bear  that.  That  comes,  if  we 
are  faithful  to  our  Lord. 

4.  The  change  that  shall  come  to  those  who  are  alive  when  Christ 
comes;  Conclusion,  15:50-58 

The  questions  "How  are  the  dead  raised  up?"  more  specifi- 
cally, "With  what  kind  of  a  body  do  they  come?"  have  been 
answered.  One  other  remains  to  be  answered,  "What  about 
those  who  are  alive  when  the  great  time  of  resurrection  ar- 
rives?" Shall  they  too  be  changed  from  the  psychical  to  the 
spiritual?  This  brief  section  has  to  do  mainly  with  this  ques- 
tion. The  expectation  of  the  early  church  that  the  Lord's  re- 
turn to  earth  would  be  soon  is  very  evident  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. No  one  looked  forward  more  earnestly  and  with  more 
eager  expectation  to  it  than  did  Paul.  It  was  to  him  a  living 
hope  and  he  preached  it  with  all  its  implied  stimulus,  cheer  and 
comfort.  Then  would  be  the  day  of  resurrection,  of  the  in- 
coming consummated  Kingdom  of  God,  and  of  the  blessedness 
of  the  redeemed.  What  would  it  mean  to  those  who,  at  its 
sudden  appearing,  were  still  in  bodies  of  flesh  and  blood?    Paul's 

140 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:53 


51.  Behold  I  tell  you  a  mystery:  we  ^  shall  not  all 

52.  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  m 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump:  for  the 
trumpet  shall  sound  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised 

53.  incorruptible  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For  this 
corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mor- 


1  Or,    IVe  all  shall  not  sleep,   so   SV. 


answer  is  that  "flesh  and  blood"  cannot  inherit  the  Kingdom  of 
God  (50).  The  living  must  be  suddenly  changed  (51-53) • 
Death  shall  end  in  complete  overthrow.  God  shall  give  victory 
through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (54-57)-  Therefore  let  all  be 
steadfast,  overflowing  with  zeal  in  the  Lord's  work,  knowmg  that 
v/ork  will  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord  (58). 

50  Flesh  and  blood.  The  characteristic  substance  of  our 
earthv,  perishable  bodies.  They  are  subject  to  decay.  ^  The 
terms  here  refer  to  those  who  are  living,  and  smce  decay  is  m- 
herent  in  our  mortal  bodies,  the  word  "corruption"  m  the  second 
clause  of  the  verse  likewise  refers  to  the  "livmg.  The  lull 
expression  then  is  "our  corruptible  bodies  of  flesh  and  blood 
cannot  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God."  Inherit  signifies  have  a 
right  to  entrance.  The  Kingdom  of  God.  This  in  its  full 
glory  will  be  ushered  in  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 

51  Behold,  I  tell  you  a  mystery.  A  secret  of  God  revealed 
to  Paul  (cf.  Rom.  16:25-26).  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  i.e.,  only 
some  of  us  may  die.  The  words  imply  that  Paul  and  most  ot 
those  to  whom  he  is  writing  expected  to  be  alive  when  the  Lord 
came  (cf.  i  Thess.  4:15;  Phil.  4:5).  But  we  shall  all  be 
changed.  This  is  the  secret  which  is  revealed.  Their  bodies 
shall  be  changed  from  the  weak,  perishable  and  inglorious  nature 
which  they  now  have,  to  be  immortal  and  fit  for  the  glorious 
activity  of  the  Spirit.  .,    ^       1 

52  This  change  will  be  instantaneous  and  at  that  solemn, 
final  moment  when  the  last  trump  shall  sound.  The  figure 
is  taken  from  Jewish  apocalyptic  and  is  not  to  be  interpreted 
literally.  As  though  obeying  some  divine  signal,  the  dead  shall 
be  raised  incorruptible  and  we  (who  are  alive)  shall  be  changed. 

53  For  this  corruptible  must  put  on.  The  verse  explains 
why  the  change  must  be,  depending  upon  the  statement  in  verse 
50.  The  figure  is  that  of  putting  on  of  a  garment,  in  the  act  ot 
which  the  corruptible  and  the  mortal  disappear.  Note,  however, 
that  it  is  the  same  spirit  which  is  newly  clothed. 

141 


15:54     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

54.  tal  must  put  on  immortality.  But  when  ^  this  cor- 
ruptible shall  have  put  on  incorruption  and  this 
mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality  then  shall 
come  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 

55.  swallowed  up  ^  in  victory.     O  death,  where  is  thy 

56.  victory?     O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?     The  sting 

57.  of  death  is  sin;  and  the  power  of  sin  is  the  law:  but 
thanks   be   to    God,   which   giveth    us   the   victory 

58.  through   our  Lord   Jesus   Christ.     Wherefore,   my 

^  Many  ancient  authorities  omit  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on 
incorruption,    and.  ^  Or,    victoriously. 

54.  Then  shall  the  word  of  Isaiah  (25:8)  have  its  widest  ful- 
fillment: "Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory!"  "Death  is  ab- 
sorbed in  unperishable  life"  (Godet)  (2  Cor.  5:4).  In  the 
thought  of  it  all  Paul  breaks  forth  into  a  song  of  triumph. 

55.  Freely  adapting  the  words  of  Hosea  13:44  (as  given  in  the 
Septuagint)  death  is  represented  first  as  a  conqueror,  O  Death, 
where  is  that  victory  of  thine!  and  then  the  figure  is  changed 
to  that  of  a  venemous  serpent,  "O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?" 

56.  The  sting  of  death  is  sin.  The  consciousness  of  sin 
and  the  fear  of  judgment  are  what  give  to  death  its  terror. 
The  power  of  sin  is  the  law,  both  in  provoking  us  to  sin 
(Rom.   7:8,   13)    and  deepening   our  consciousness  of  sin    (Rom. 

7:1,  9). 

57.  Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  in  and  through  Christ,  i.e.,  in 
Uving  union  with  Him,  that  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin  are  taken 
away,  the  bitterness  of  death  is  destroyed,  and  the  assurance 
of  a  blessed  resurrection  established.  So  certain  is  all  this  that 
the  Apostle  says  "giveth"  us  the  victory.  That  day  shall  reveal 
it  all  when  we  rise  to  be  with  Him,  clothed  with  the  spiritual 
body. 

58.  Wherefore,  in  view  of  all  the  resurrection  means,  be  stead- 
fast, unmoved  by  skeptical  speculations  and  evil  companionship. 
Throw  yourself  earnestly  and  enthusiastically  into  the  Lord's 
work  at  all  times,  knowing,  as  you  do,  that  your  labor  is  not 
fruitless  in  result  either  now  or  hereafter,  if  done  under  the 
Lord's  inspiration  and  with  His  divine  help. 

Several  facts  regarding  the  chapter  as  a  whole  are  worthy  of 
notice,  (i)  It  is  wise  in  its  silences.  It  goes  only  so  far  as 
the  facts  gained  from   the   appearances  of  the  Lord  after  His 

142 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      15:58 


beloved  brethren,  be  ye  stedfast,  unmovable,  al- 
ways abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  for  as  much 
as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  ^  vain  in  the  Lord. 


Or,  z'oid. 


resurrection  and  the  facts  of  spiritual  experience  will  warrant 
There  are  no  speculations  about  the  substance  of  the  "spiritual 
body"  or  about  the  process  of  resurrection.  Just  where  specu- 
lation is  likelv  to  push  its  questions,  the  chapter  is  silent.  (2) 
It  makes  the  bodily  resurrection  of  Jesus  essential  to  the 
belief  in  the  divinity  of  the  Lord  and  to  our  resurrection. 
Why  were  it  not  enough  to  believe  that  He  continued  to  hve  on 
in  the  spiritual  world  and  let  the  bodily  resurrection  go?  Is  not 
the  answer  that  had  there  been  no  bodily  appearances  of  the 
Lord  there  could  not  have  come  to  the  Apostles  any  sure  con- 
sciousness of  His  survival  of  death?  As  far  as  Christ  is  con- 
cerned conceptions  of  His  survival  of  death  would  have  been 
left  vague  and  indefinite.  It  was  just  this  element  of  a  bodily 
resurrection  which  was  unique  in  their  experience.  It  assured 
them  of  His  triumph  over  death  and  that  triumph  threw  a  flood 
of  light  upon  the  meaning  of  His  death  as  regards  sin.  And 
this  taken  together  with  the  promises  which  Christ  Himself 
had  made  and  thus  had  fulfilled  opened  their  eyes  to  the  true, 
full  meaning  of  His  Messiahship.  It  is  after  the  resurrection 
and  because  of  it  that  the  exalted  Christology  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment appears.  (3)  The  third  fact  to  be  noted  is  that  this  chap- 
ter, like  the  thirteenth,  gives  us  instances  of  that  prophecy  which 
Paid  so  highly  praised  in  his  discussion  of  spiritual  gifts.  Its 
exalted  feeling  breaks  forth  in  the  same  rhythmic  expression  (see 
20-28,  42-44,  45-49,  52-57).  A  note  of  triumph  characterizes 
the  whole  chapter.  It  is  one  of  the  great  chapters  of  our  New 
Testament. 


143 


i6:i 


V.     Practical  and  Personal  Matters  and  the  Con- 
clusion, 16:1-24 

I.     Concerning  the  Collection  for  the  Jerusalem  Church, 
16:1-4 

16.        I.  Now  concerning  the  collection  for  the  saints,  as 
I  gave  order  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  so  also  do 

An  analysis  of  the  chapter  yields  the  following  divisions:  i. 
Concerning  the  collection  for  the  Jerusalem  church  (1-4).  2. 
The  Apostle's  intention  to  visit  Corinth  (5-9)-  3-  Regarding  the 
coming  of  Timothy  and  Apollos  to  Corinth  (10-12).  4,  An 
exhortation  to  steadfastness,  manly  conduct,  and  loving  action 
(13-14).  S.  A  commendation  of  Stephanas  and  others  to  their 
kindly  consideration  (15-18).  6.  Salutations  (19-21).  7,  Warn- 
ing, benediction  and  message  of  love  (24). 

Before  considering  each  verse  in  detail  it  will  be  well  to  get 
some  general  idea  of  the  collection  here  spoken  of.  The  follow- 
ing points  are  to  be  noted  regarding  it:  (i)  It  was  being  gradu- 
ally gathered  from  all  the  groups  of  churches  in  Asia,  Galatia, 
Macedonia  and  Achaia.  (2)  It  was  an  act  of  policy  rather  than 
a  call  to  meet  any  exceptional  distress  in  Palestine  though  for 
several  reasons  the  need  there  was  serious  and  constant.  No 
great  haste  was  urged  in  the  gathering  of  funds.  Corinth  had 
had  the  matter  in  hand  for  some  time.  (3)  Its  main  purpose 
was  to  show  how  genuine  and  close  was  the  interest  of  the 
Gentile  churches  in  the  Mother  Church  in  Jerusalem.  It  was  to 
serve  as  a  bond  of  sympathy  between  the  Pauline  churches  and 
the  Jewish  Christians  in  Palestine.  Delegates  from  the  differ- 
ent churches  were  to  carry  the  funds  to  Jerusalem  and  thus 
give  the  benefactions  a  personal  touch.  So  earnestly  had  Paul 
laid  the  accomplishment  of  this  great  purpose  to  heart  that, 
despite  great  risk,  he  personally  conducted  the  delegates.  "I 
go  constrained  by  the  Spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  what 
shall  befall  me  there,  save  that  the  Holy  Spirit  testified  unto 
me  in  every  city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions  await  me" 
(Acts  20:22-23). 

144 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       16:5 


2.  ye.  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  each  one  of 
you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  he  may  prosper,  that  no 

3.  collections  be  made  when  I  come.  And  when  I 
arrive,  ^whomsoever  ye  shall  approve  by  letters, 
them  will  I  send  to  carry  your  bounty  unto  Jeru- 

4.  salem:  and  if  it  be  meet  for  me  to  go  also,  they 
shall  go  with  me. 

2.   The  Apostle's  Intention  to  Visit  Corinth,  16:5-9 

5.  But  I  will  come  unto  you,  when  I  shall  have 
passed  through  Macedonia;  for  I  do  pass  through 

1  SV,    Whomsoever  ye   shall  approve  them  unll  I  send  with   letters. 

I  Now  concerning  the  collection.  This  indicates  that 
the  Corinthians  had  asked  Paul  for  directions  (cf.  12:1).  Saints 
ie  believers.  The  word  has  a  broader  meaning  than  our  word 
"saint."  Churches  of  Galatia,  in  Antioch  of  Pisidia,  Iconium, 
Lystra  and  Derbe. 

2.  First  day  of  the  week.  Hebraistic  expression.  Jesus  rose 
from  the  dead  "on  the  third  day."  This  corresponds  to  the  "first 
day  of  the  week"  (see  Lk.  24:1)  and  here  we  have  the  earliest 
evidence  that  this  day  had  especial  consecration  on  the  part 
of  the  early  church.  It  was  not  yet  regularly  known  as  "the 
Lord's  day."  Lay  by  him  in  store.  The  money  was  to  be 
"laid  by"  at  home.  As  he  may  prosper,  i.e.,  in  proportion  to 
weekly  gains.  No  definite  proportion  is  required,  nor  is  any 
pressure  to  be  put  upon  jut 

3.  them  by  himself,  i.e.,  no  collections  be  made  when  1 
come.  Whomsoever  ye  shall  approve  by  letters.  Creden- 
tials given  to  the  delegates  who  were  to  carry  the  funds  to 
Jerusalem.  On  all  sides  Paul  wishes  to  guard  against  any  sus- 
picion of  misuse  of  the  funds.  The  word  "approve  means 
tested  and  satisfying  the  test.  ,        .        ^  .     ., 

4.  and  if  it  be  meet,  i.e.,  if  the  contribution  is  sufficiently 
large.  It  should  be  worthy  of  an  apostolic  mission.  Respect 
for  his  apostleship,  not  personal  pride,  is  to  be  considered. 

His  visit  will  be  preceded  by  a  trip  through  Macedonia,  but 
when  he  comes  to  them  he  plans  to  be  with  them  for  quite  a 
time.  He  hopes  for  their  hearty  forwarding  of  his  plans  and 
purposes  when  the  time  comes  for  him  to  leave  them.  His 
present  plan  is  to  remain  in  Ephesus  until  Pentecost.  This 
because  of  opportunity  for  service  and  because  enemies  were  active. 


i6:6       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

6.  Macedonia;  but  with  you  it  may  be  that  I  shall 
abide,  or  even  winter,  that  ye  may  set  me  for- 
ward   on    my  journey   whithersoever   I    go.      For 

7.  I  do  not  wish  to  see  you  now  by  the  way;  for  I 
hope  to  tarry  a  while  with  you,  if  the  Lord  permit. 

8,  9.  But  I  will  tarry  at  Ephesus  until  Pentecost;  for  a 
great  door  and  effectual  is  opened  unto  me  and  there 
are  many  adversaries. 

3.     Regarding  the  coming  of  Timothy  and  Apollos  to 
Corinth,  16:10-12 

ID.    Now  if  Timothy  come,  see  that  he  be  with  you 

5.  When  I  shall  have  passed  through  Macedonia.  "Pass- 
ing through"  is  Paul's  "technical  term  for  making  a  missionary 
tour  through  a  district." — Ramsay.  Our  word  for  it  is  "itin- 
erating."    Luke  in  describing  Paul's  work  uses  the  same  word. 

6.  Paul  did  spend  three  months  in  Corinth  (Acts  20:3).  Navi- 
gation was  dangerous  after  September  14,  and  ceased  after  about 
the  middle  of  November  until  the  opening  days  of  April.  Set 
me  forward  on  my  journey.  This  setting  forward  might 
include  a  generous  gift  for  the  Jerusalem  saints  if  he  should  go 
thither,  provision  for  his  journey,  and  certainly  their  prayers 
and  good  wishes. 

7.  By  the  way,  just  in  passing. 

8-9.  At  Ephesus.  Showing  that  the  letter  was  written  there. 
Pentecost.  The  great  Jewish  festival  which  took  place  on  the 
fiftieth  day  after  the  offering  of  the  barley  sheaf  at  the  pass- 
over,  now  named  Whitsuntide.  Owing  to  its  importance  in  the 
early  church  (Acts,  ch.  2)  it  was  probably  remembered  annually. 
The  letter  was  written  some  weeks  before  this.  The  reason  of 
his  stay  was  "the  standing  open  of  a  door,  great  and  effective," 
i.e.,  a  large  opportunity  for  rendering  telling  service  in  preaching 
the  truth  and  in  meeting  opponents  who  were  trying  to  gainsay 
it.  "The  superstition  of  all  Asia  was  concentrated  in  Ephesus. 
Throughout  the  early  centuries  the  city  mob,  superstitious,  un- 
educated, frivolous,  swayed  by  the  most  commonplace  motives, 
was  everywhere  the  most  dangerous  and  unfailing  enemy  of 
Christianity,  and  often  carried  the  imperial  officials  further  than 
they  wished  in  the  way  of  persecution." — Ramsay,  St.  Paul, 
p.  277. 

10.  In  4:17  Paul  speaks  of  having  sent  Timothy  to  them.    His 

146 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      16:14 

without  fear;  for  he  worketh  the  work  of  the  Lord, 

11.  as  I  also  do:  let  no  man  therefore  despise  him.  But 
set  him  forward  on  his  journey  in  peace  that  he  may 

12.  come  unto  me;  for  I  expect  him  with  the  brethren. 
But  as  touching  Apollos,  the  brother,  I  besought  him 
much  to  come  unto  you  with  the  brethren:  and  it 
was  not  at  all  ^  his  will  to  come  now;  but  he  will 
come  when  he  shall  have  opportunity. 

13.  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like 

14.  men,  be  strong.    Let  all  that  ye  do  be  done  in  love. 

1  Or,   God's  will  that  He  should  come  now   (cf.   Rom.  2:18,  marg.). 

letter,  if  sent  directly  across  the  sea,  would  arrive  before  Timothy, 
who  went  by  the  way  of  Macedonia  (Acts  19:22).  Paul  be- 
speaks for  Timothy,  comparatively  young  and  apparently  some- 
what timid  (i  Tim.  4:12;  2  Tim.  1:6-7),  kindly  treatment  and 
respect. 

11.  They  were  also  to  see  to  it  that  he  came  away  without 
leaving  any  bad  feeling  behind  him.  With  the  brethren.  The 
same  is  in  verse  12.  They  were  the  bearers  of  the  Corinthian 
letter  to  Paul.  The  phrase  then  is  to  be  joined  with  "I  expect." 
"I,  with  the  brethren"  (who  are  here  in  Ephesus  waiting  for  my 
reply)  "expect  him."  In  this  letter  of  the  Corinthians  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  an  invitation  was  sent  to  Apollos  to  come  to 
Corinth. 

12.  Paul,  to  show  that  there  was  no  rivalry  between  him  and 
Apollos,  urges  Apollos  to  go  back  with  the  brethren;  but,  feel- 
ing sure  that  his  presence  at  this  time  might  still  further  inflame 
party  spirit,   Apollos  decidedly   declined  to  go. 

13-14.  As  though  he  were  ready  to  close  up  the  epistle,  he  sums 
up  its  great  teachings  in  five  terse  injunctions.  Be  watchful 
against  enemies.  There  was  too  much  carnal  security  in  the 
church;  also,  they  were  to  watch  for  the  Lord's  coming.  Stand 
fast  in  the  faith.  Their  faith  in  the  atonement  and  in  the 
Resurrection  had  wavered  (see  chs.  i  and  15).  Play  the  part 
of  men.  In  their  love  of  display  (14:20)  and  in  their  petty 
jealousies  and  rivalries  they  had  acted  like  children.  Be  strong, 
i.e.,  be  vigorous,  get  the  mastery.  An  insecure  faith  had  be- 
gotten a  moral  flabbiness.  They  were  too  easily  the  victims  of 
temptation.    Let  all  that  ye  do  be  done  in  love.    Another  way 

147 


i6:i5     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


4.     A  Commendation  of  Stephanas  and  others  to  their 
kindly  consideration,  16:15-18 

15.  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren  (ye  know  the  house 
of  Stephanas,  that  it  is  the  firstfruits  of  Achaia,  and 
that  they  have  set  themselves  to  minister  unto  the 

16.  saints),  that  ye  also  be  in  subjection  unto  such, 
and   to  every  one  that  helpeth  in  the  work  and 

17.  laboreth.  And  I  rejoice  at  the  ^  coming  of  Stephanas 
and  Fortunatus  and  Achaicus:  for  that  which  was 

18.  lacking  on  your  part  they  supplied.     For  they  re- 

^  Gr.,   presence. 

of  urging  upon  them  the  spirit  which  breathes  through  Chapter 
13.  The  radical  fault  of  the  church  was  its  want  of  love.  In 
this  the  Corinthian  Church  did  not  stand  alone. 

15.  A  word  now  follows  regarding  the  delegates  from  Corinth 
who  were  with  him  and  who  were  awaiting  his  reply.  Stephanas 
and  his  house  were  among  the  first  fruits  of  Achaia.  Paul, 
contrary  to  his  usual  custom,  baptized  them,  because,  perhaps, 
there  was  nobody  else  to  do  it.  The  family,  being  of  independent 
means  (no  others  could  do  it),  devoted  itself  to  the  service  of 
fellow  Christians — the  sick,  the  needy,  those  requiring  hospitality, 
and  those  in  sorrow. 

16.  On  account  of  their  noble,  self-imposed,  and  helpful  min- 
istrations, Paul  asks  of  the  Corinthians  deference  and  respect 
toward  them,  indeed,  toward  everyone  who,  like  them,  makes 
himself  helpful  and  works  hard.  In  a  word,  his  exhortation 
was  to  follow  earnestly  such  leadership. 

17.  Fortunatus  and  Achaicus.  Nothing  is  known  of  them 
beyond  what  is  here  given.  For  that  which  was  lacking  on 
your  part.  By  their  presence  they  filled  up  the  gap  in  his  life 
which  was  made  by  his  absence  from  them  all  in  Corinth. 

18.  For  they  refreshed.  This  explains  what  he  means  by 
"filling  up  the  gap."  They  relieved  his  anxieties  by  telling  him 
of  the  love  of  the  church  and  giving  him  the  brighter  side  of 
the  whole  situation  in  Corinth.  And  yours  is  anticipatory  of 
their  return  to  Corinth,  when  they  will  do  for  the  Corinthians 
what  had  been  done  for  him.  Acknowledge  ye  therefore 
them,  i.e.,  recognize  them  for  what  they  are  and  give  them  their 
due. 

148 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      16:22 

freshed  my  spirit  and  yours:  acknowledge  ye  there- 
fore them  that  are  such. 


5.     Salutations  y  16:19-24 

19.  The  churches  of  Asia  salute  you.     Aquila  and 
Priscilla   salute  you   much   in  the  Lord,   with   the 

20.  church   that   is  in   their   house.     All   the   brethren 
salute  you.     Salute  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss. 

21.  22.     The  salutation  of  me  Paul  with  mine  own  hand. 

If  any  man  loveth  not  the  Lord,  let  him  be  Anath- 
ema  ^  Maranatha.     The  grace   of   the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  with  you.     My  love  be  with  you  all  in 
24.    Christ  Jesus.     Amen. 

*  That  is,  Our  Lord  cotneth. 

19.  Asia  =  proconsular  Asia.  Ephesus  was  the  seat  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Paul  made  this  city  his  strategic  center  and  carried 
on  his  work  in  neighboring  cities  (cf.  Acts  19:10,  26;  Col.  2:1), 
While  he  had  not  visited  all  of  them  he  was  undoubtedly  in 
close  touch  with  them.  Aquila  and  Prisca  (Priscilla  in  the 
Acts).  Their  house  in  Ephesus  was  one  of  the  gathering  places 
for  worship  and  work.  They  entertained  Paul  when  he  first 
came  to  Corinth  (Acts  18:1);  had  risked  their  lives  for  him 
(Rom.  16:3-4)  and,  not  only  for  their  devotion  to  Christian 
service,  but  also  by  reason  of  their  intimate  personal  relations, 
were  very  dear  to  him.  Their  salutations  were  hearty  and  full 
(much)  but  in  recognition  of  their  common  bond  of  service 
(in  the  Lord). 

20.  The  third  salutation  was  from  all  the  brethren  of  the 
Ephesian  church.  A  holy  kiss.  If  the  "kiss  of  peace"  was 
taken  over  from  the  Jewish  synagogue  and  made  in  the  church 
the  token  of  Christian  brotherhood,  it  is  unlikely  that  it  was 
promiscuous.  Men  would  kiss  men;  women,  women.  It  became 
later  part  of  the  ritual  of  public  worship. 

21.  Paul  takes  the  pen  from  the  hand  of  the  amenuensis  and 
writes.  It  authenticates  the  letter  as  coming  from  him  (Gal. 
6:11 ;  2  Thess.  3:17). 

22.  If  any  man  loveth  not  the  Lord.  An  unusual  word 
is  used  here  for  love.  The  exact  sense  can  better  be  given  "if 
any  man  is  no  friend  of  the  Lord";  is  virtually  heartless  toward 

149 


i6:24     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

him,  let  him  be  accursed.  Maranatha,  Aramaic,  meaning  either 
"our  Lord  has  come,"  or  "our  Lord  cometh,"  or  "Our  Lord, 
come."  The  translation  is  doubtful.  It  is,  however,  in  any  one 
of  the  forms,  monitory.  It  may  have  been  a  sort  of  watch- 
word current  in  the  churches,  calling  to  mind  the  possibility  of 
being  obliged  to  face  judgment  at  any  moment.  Also,  the 
second  or  third  meaning  given  above  would  be  preferable. 


150 


II.    EPISTLE 
To  THE  CORINTHIANS 

INTRODUCTION 
I.    The  Interval  Between  i  and  2  Corinthians 

I.  Its  Extent 

It  is  impossible  to  be  certain  with  regard  to  any  dates 
in  the  life  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  Almost  every  writer 
on  the  subject  has  his  own  arrangement  of  the  chronology, 
and  no  two  chronologies  are  alike. 

The  most  probable  date  of  the  writing  of  both  i  and  2 
Corinthians  seems  to  be  the  year  56.  The  length  of 
the  interval  between  the  two  letters  is  even  more  uncer- 
tain than  the  date.  Probably  i  Corinthians  was  written 
in  the  spring  of  56  and  2  Corinthians  in  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year. 

"I  will  tarry  at  Ephesus  until  Pentecost,"  Paul  writes 
in  I  Cor.  16:8.  He  was  then  writing  sometime  previous 
to  that  Feast.  It  may  have  been  winter;  it  may  have 
been  early  spring.  After  writing  2  Corinthians  Paul 
pays  a  visit  of  three  months  to,  Corinth  (Acts  20:3). 
How  soon  after  sending  2  Corinthians  he  followed  the 
letter  it  is  impossible  to  say.  According  to  Acts  he  left 
Corinth  not  long  before  the  Passover.  If  this  was  the 
year  57  the  Passover  fell  on  Thursday,  April  seventh. 
He  spent  the  Passover  week  at  Philippi  in  Macedonia 
(Acts  20:6).  The  end  of  his  three  months  in  Corinth 
must  have  been  in  March,  and  the  beginning  must  have 

151 


INTRODUCTION 


been  in  December.  Sometime  previous  to  December  he 
wrote  2  Corinthians.  The  interval  between  the  two 
letters  to  Corinth  then  was  not  more  than  nine  months 
(April  to  December)  and  it  may  have  been  much  less. 
Because  very  much  happened  during  that  interval,  of 
which  we  have  only  the  most  fragmentary  notices,  it  has 
been  thought  necessary  by  some  to  add  a  whole  year  to 
the  interval.  It  would  then  continue  from  before  Pen- 
tecost of  one  year  till  before  December  of  the  succeed- 
ing year.  This  is  unnecessary  and  unlikely.  The  age 
was  noted  for  the  ease,  opportunity  and  rapidity  of 
travel.  The  log  of  Paul's  journey  from  Troas  to  Tyre 
(Acts,  chs.  20-21)  is  an  illustration.  The  long  voyage 
was  made  in  less  than  two  weeks,  including  a  stop  of 
two  or  three  days  at  Miletus.  A  good  many  round  trips 
could  have  been  made  between  Ephesus  and  Corinth  in 
six  months,  even  if  some  of  them  took  the  route  via 
Troas  and  Macedonia. 

2.   Its  Events 

(i)  Timothy  is  sent  from  Ephesus  to  Corinth. 

(2)  Serious  trouble  arises  in  the  Corinthian  church. 

(3)  Paul  pays  Corinth  a  short  unexpected  visit. 

(4)  He  returns  to  Ephesus  hurt  and  heart-sick. 

(5)  He  writes  a  scathing  letter. 

(6)  Titus  takes  the  letter  to  Corinth. 

(7)  Paul  anxiously  awaits  Titus'  delayed  return. 

(8)  He  goes  to  meet  Titus,  as  far  as  Troas  and  then 

Macedonia. 

(9)  Titus  returns  with  good  news. 

(10)  Paul,  overjoyed,  writes  2   Corinthians. 

(i)  Timothy  was  sent  to  Corinth  either  at  the  time 
that  I  Corinthians  was  despatched,  or  previous  to  its 
sending  (i  Cor.  16:10).  His  errand  was  important  and 
seems  to  have  some  connection  with  the  bitter  party  strife 

152 


INTRODUCTION 


in  the  Corinthian  church  (i  Cor.  4:17).  He  was  to 
represent  Paul,  and  was  to  return  to  Paul  (i  Cor.  16:11). 
Later,  but  certainly  not  before  Pentecost,  Paul  plans  to 
go  himself  to  Corinth.  He  will  take  the  route  through 
Macedonia.  It  will  not  be  a  flying  trip,  as  it  would 
have  to  be  if  he  interrupted  his  work  to  go  at  once.  He 
hopes  for  a  long  stay  at  Corinth,  perhaps  the  whole 
winter  (i  Cor.  16:5-7).  A  reference  to  this  same  plan 
is  apparently  made  in  Acts  19:21-22.  Whether  Timothy 
ever  reached  Corinth,  and,  if  he  did,  whether  his  mission 
was  a  success  or  failure,  is  not  known.  He  is  with  Paul 
some  months  later  when  2  Corinthians  is  written. 

(2)  The  silence  in  regard  to  Timothy's  success  or 
failure,  and  the  fact  that  Paul  did  change  his  plan  and 
pay  a  hurried  visit  to  Corinth,  is  evidence  that  the 
trouble  with  the  church  was  too  much  for  Timothy's 
diplomacy  and  authority  as  Paul's  representative.  The 
probability  is  that  he  returned  from  Corinth  in  haste, 
with  a  report  that  determined  Paul  to  drop  everything 
and  go  himself  to  the  seat  of  trouble.  A  hint  that  he 
had  feared  this  might  be  necessary  is  found  in  i  Cor. 
4:21. 

(3)  The  visit  was  "with  sorrow."  All  that  is  known 
of  it  is  found  in  the  few  vague  references  in  2  Cor.  2 :  i-ii 
and  chapters  10-13.  The  "sorrow"  had  its  ground  chiefly 
in  some  personal  encounter.  The  person — "any,"  "such 
a  one"  (2  Cor.  2:5-6) — had  "caused  sorrow"  to  Paul; 
and  then,  or  by  Paul's  next  letter,  or  both,  he  had  been 
"made  sorry"  by  Paul  (2:2).  It  was  a  venomous,  per- 
sonal insult  or  injury.  Later  the  majority  in  the  church 
recognized  its  enormity  and  the  offender  was  punished  so 
severely  that  Paul  pleads  for  his  forgiveness  (2:7). 
]\Iany  gratuitous  insults  were  offered  to  Paul,  perhaps  by 
this  individual  as  spokesman  for  a  party.  They  included 
accusations  of  fickleness  and  broken  promises  (1:17-18) ; 
and  of  cowardice  and  hypocrisy  (10:1-2;  10).    This  stay 

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in  Corinth  seems  to  have  been  short  as  well  as  heart- 
breaking. 

(4)  It  was  from  Ephesus  that  Paul  went  to  Corinth, 
and  to  Ephesus  that  with  a  heavy  heart  he  returned.  It 
is  not  necessary  in  a  chronology  to  crowd  this  all  in  before 
Pentecost.  Although  Paul's  intention  seems  to  have  been 
to  leave  Ephesus  soon  after  Pentecost  (i  Cor.  16:8), 
there  is  no  certainty  that  he  did  so.  The  narrative  in 
Acts  19:21-23  implies  that  he  was  delayed  in  carrying 
out  his  intention.  If  this  is  true  the  visit  to  Corinth 
'Vith  sorrow"  probably  took  place  in  the  summer  of  56, 
not  earlier  than  June  or  July. 

(5)  On  his  return  Paul  sits  down  and  ^'out  of  much 
affliction  and  anguish  of  heart  .  .  .  with  many  tears" 
(2:4)  writes  to  the  church  at  Corinth  a  letter,  of  which 
he  could  say  (7:8):  "Though  I  made  you  sorry  with 
my  epistle  I  do  not  regret  it,  though  I  did  regret."  It  was 
very  severe.  It  was  personal.  It  may  have  contained 
an  explanation  of  his  sudden  appearance  in  Corinth,  when 
he  had  written  them  previously  that  his  route  would  be 
via  Macedonia.  It  certainly  contained  not  only  a  con- 
demnation of  the  individual  and  the  party  who  opposed 
him  but  a  vindication  of  his  own  authority. 

The  part  of  this  letter  which  deals  with  the  individual 
is  lost.  The  church  did  not  preserve  it  for  public  read- 
ing in  the  Lord's  Day  services.  Possibly  the  whole  letter 
is  lost.  But  a  fairly  satisfactory,  working  theory  finds 
in  chapters  10-13  of  2  Corinthians  a  part  of  the  severe 
letter. 

(6)  The  bearer  of  this  letter  is  not  Timothy  but  Titus. 
With  much  misgiving  Paul  entrusts  to  him  not  only  the 
letter  but  the  mission  of  reading  to  the  Corinthians  its 
heart-message  from  himself.  It  would  be  Titus'  part  to 
see  that  the  letter  was  not  misunderstood  and  that  the 
readers  did  not  read  into  it  anything  that  was  not  there. 
It  was  a  mission  requiring  the  greatest  wisdom,  patience 

154 


INTRODUCTION 


and  tact.  Titus  was  not  unknown  at  Corinth.  He  had 
been  the  adviser  of  the  church  when  it  began  its  plans 
for  the  contribution  for  the  Christians  of  the  mother 
church  in  Jerusalem.  The  references  to  Titus  and  his 
previous  relation  to  the  Contribution  (8:6;  12:18)  are 
much  better  taken  as  of  an  earlier  visit  to  Corinth  than 
of  the  visit  when  he  bears  this  letter. 

(7)  So  delicate  was  Titus'  mission  and  so  important 
was  the  letter  he  carried  that  Paul  passed  the  time  of 
waiting  for  his  return  in  great  restlessness  of  spirit.  He 
even  regretted  having  written  the  letter  (7:8). 

(8)  For  some  reason  Titus'  return  journey  was  to  be 
by  the  longer  route  through  Macedonia.  Long  as  it  might 
be  expected  to  take,  it  took  longer  than  Paul  hoped. 
As  the  time  drew  near  for  Titus'  return  his  restlessness 
increased.  He  could  not  work.  He  had  left  Ephesus 
for  Troas,  and  hoped  to  meet  Titus  there.  "Now  when 
I  came  to  Troas,"  he  said,  "I  had  no  relief  for  my  spirit 
because  I  found  not  Titus,  my  brother;  but  taking  my 
leave  of  them  I  went  forth  into  Macedonia."  Although 
there  was  an  open  door  in  Troas,  and  work  to  be  done, 
Paul  had  no  heart  for  his  work.  He  could  not  rest  till 
he  had  heard  from  his  letter.  Corinth  was  written  on 
his  heart. 

(9)  In  Macedonia,  possibly  at  Philippi,  Paul  and  the 
returning  Titus  meet.  What  the  effect  upon  Paul  of  Titus' 
report  was  is  found  in  the  expressions  of  joy  in  2:14-17 
and  7:4-16.  It  is  summed  up  in  this:  'T  rejoice  that  in 
everything  I  am  of  good  courage  concerning  you"  (7:16). 
The  letter  and  Titus  had  won  the  hoped  for  result.  The 
church  was  sorry.  The  majority  (2:6)  had  inflicted 
punishment  upon  the  person  who  had  caused  the  trouble; 
and  the  minority  seems  to  have  been  in  favor,  not  of  no 
punishment,  but  of  a  still  severer  penalty.  The  whole 
church  was  reconciled  to  Paul  and  renewed  its  pledges 
of  loyalty  and  fideHty  to  him. 

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INTRODUCTION 


(lo)  And  hence  2  Corinthians.  In  an  outburst  of 
gratitude  to  God  and  joy  in  the  outcome  He  has  granted, 
Paul  begins  and  continues  and  (if  chapters  1-9  are  the 
letter)  concludes  his  epistle.  Instructions  and  encourage- 
ment in  regard  to  the  Contribution  are  included,  and 
Titus,  accompanied  by  two  others  (8:17-23),  is  dis- 
patched again  to  Corinth.  He  bears  a  very  different 
letter,  and  he  goes  on  a  much  easier  mission.  This  was 
in  the  early  autumn,  perhaps  September  or  October. 
In  December  Paul  follows,  as  he  had  said  he  would 
(9:4-5)  and  the  three  winter  months  are  spent  with  the 
Corinthian  church. 

II.  The  Integrity  of  2  Corinthians 

Integrity  must  not  be  confused  with  genuineness  or 
trustworthiness.  It  sometimes  is.  The  genuineness  of 
2  Corinthians  is  unquestioned.  It  was  all  written  by  the 
Apostle  Paul,  and  it  was  all  written  to  the  church  at 
Corinth.  There  is  practically  no  difference  of  opinion 
in  regard  to  that.  Was  it  written  at  one  sitting,  or  on 
one  occasion,  and  sent  to  Corinth  as  we  have  it  today? 
Is  it  a  perfect  whole,  or  is  it  two  or  more  letters  or 
fragments  of  letters  incorporated  into  one? 

There  is  little  doubt  that  i  Corinthians  is  a  single 
letter.  Though  it  deals  with  many  very  different  sub- 
jects, it  bears  the  marks  of  integrity.  It  is  a  unit.  The 
case  is  quite  different  with  2  Corinthians.  A  careful 
reading  of  the  epistle  impresses  every  reader  with  the 
strange  inconsistencies  of  tone  and  manner,  and  with 
certain  almost  inexplicable  breaks  in  the  style  and  subject 
matter.  These  have  never  gone  unnoticed  on  the  part  of 
students,  but  they  have  been  variously  accounted  for. 

The  epistle  is  divided  into  three  clearly  marked  sec- 
tions, (i)  chapters  1-7;  (2)  chapters  8-9;  (3)  chapters 
10-13.    This  in  itself  is  nothing  strange.     Paul's  letters 

156 


INTRODUCTION 


nearly  always  have  such  cleavage.  But  usually  the 
cleavage  is  not  marked  by  startling  changes  in  tone.  In 
addition  there  are  two  passages  for  the  existence  of  which 
in  their  context  it  is  difficult  to  find  an  explanation.  These 
are  6:14—7:1;  11:32-33.  Many  theories,  some  wild, 
some  plausible,  have  been  invented  to  explain  these  pe- 
culiarities in  2  Corinthians.  Even  allowing  for  the 
emotion  under  which  Paul  wrote,  some  explanation  is 
clearly  demanded.  -.      u      1    • 

Between  chapters  1-7  and  chapters  8-9  the  break  is 
no  more  than  is  natural  when  the  author  passes  to  a 
new  subject.  To  this  transition  and  to  possible  ex- 
planations of  the  difficulties  involved  in  the  sections  6:14 
—7:1  and  11:32-33,  reference  will  be  found  in  the  com- 
ment on  the  text  at  those  points.  The  theory  that  there 
are  in  them  evidences  of  fragments  of  various  letters 
involves  much  difficulty  and  affords  little  relief. 

The  break  between  chapters  1-9  and  10-13  calls  for 
special  consideration.  The  two  sections  are  separated  by 
a  wide  gulf.  This  separation  has  given  rise  to  several 
theories,  and  careful  study  has  resulted  in  radically  differ- 
ent conclusions. 

I.    The  Difference  in  Tone  Between  Chapters  1-9  and 
10-13 

In  the  first  nine  chapters  of  the  epistle  the  tone  is 
unmistakably  that  of  joy,  hope,  and  confidence  in  the 
readers.  Titus'  report,  on  his  return  from  Corinth,  gives 
Paul  the  keenest  pleasure  and  satisfaction.  His  gladness 
is  colored  here  and  there  with  the  memory  of  his  former 
anxiety  and  sorrow,  but  his  relief  is  genuine  and  unmis- 
takable, his  assurance  is  unfeigned  and  his  joy  knows  no 
bounds.  Titus'  errand  has  been  eminently  successful, 
the  church  at  Corinth  has  asserted  its  better  self,  and 
relations  of  mutual  affection  between  it  and  Paul  have 

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INTRODUCTION 


been  reestablished.  The  Introduction  (1:3-11),  the  con- 
clusion to  the  first  section  (7:2-16),  and  other  outbursts 
of  gratitude  (2:14-17;  9:15)  show  how  happy  and  how 
much  relieved  and  encouraged  Paul  is. 

In  the  closing  section,  on  the  other  hand,  chapters 
10-13,  all  this  is  lacking.  The  difference  is  very  notice- 
able. Paul  is  on  the  defensive;  he  lacks  confidence  in 
his  readers;  he  finds  threats  necessary;  he  is  under  great 
constraint.  There  is  a  real  pathos  in  much  that  he  says, 
brightened  at  times  with  a  flicker  of  humor.  He  is  almost 
fierce  in  some  of  his  statements;  he  speaks  with  a  tone  of 
authority  and  severity;  there  is  no  trace  of  the  happy, 
confident  feeling  of  chapters  1-9. 

2.     Possible  Explanations  of  the  Change  of  Tone 

(i)  A  change  of  circumstances.  If  the  letter  was 
written  at  one  time  and  sent  to  Corinth  just  as  we  have 
it,  then  the  sudden  change  of  tone  must  have  been  due 
to  some  change  in  Paul  as  he  wrote.  This  might  be  ac- 
counted for  by: 

{a)  A  change  of  mood.  Sometimes  an  author  writes 
himself  out  of  one  humor  into  another.  Paul's  first  feeling 
was  that  of  joy  and  satisfaction  in  Titus'  report.  But 
later,  perhaps  the  next  day,  there  is  a  reaction.  He 
cannot  forget  the  past.  Memories  of  the  wrong  done  to 
him  and  to  others  still  rankle  in  his  heart,  and  he  is  not 
so  certain  that  all  is  well.  Often  a  letter  has  a  very 
different  sound  to  the  reader  from  that  intended  by  the 
writer.  If  the  readers  could  have  seen  Paul's  face  or 
heard  his  voice  it  would  not  have  seemed  so  harsh. 

{b)  A  change  of  readers.  The  difference  in  tone  is 
sometimes  explained  by  the  hypothesis  that  the  latter  part 
of  the  letter  was  written  to  those  who  were  hostile  to 
Paul  in  the  church.  Perhaps  not  all  the  members  of  the 
church  had  become  reconciled.     In  chapters  1-9  he  is 

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INTRODUCTION 


addressing  those  who  are  friendly  to  him;  in  chapters 
10-13  he  is  addressing  his  opponents. 

(c)  A  change  of  news.  It  has  been  suggested  that  be- 
fore Paul  had  finished  his  letter,  or  before  it  was  ready  to 
be  dispatched,  a  further  report  had  come  from  Corinth 
which  was  not  so  rosy  as  that  of  Titus.  It  paints  con- 
ditions in  quite  a  different  light;  and  in  view  of  new 
information  Paul  adds  to  his  letter  the  severe  message 
of  chapters  10-13. 

None  of  these  explanations  has  ever  been  found  quite 
satisfactory.  It  is  not  likely  that  Paul's  mood  could 
change  so  suddenly;  there  is  not  the  slightest  indication 
in  the  letter  that  two  different  sets  of  readers,  friends 
and  opponents,  are  addressed;  he  includes  them  all  in 
both  sections  in  the  word  "you";  it  is  not  probable  that 
Titus  brought  a  biased  or  colored  report,  and  that  later 
returns  showed  him  to  be  wrong  in  his  estimate  of  the 
situation.  These  suggestions  have  been  made  only  as 
possible  explanations  of  a  serious  problem. 

(2)  Two  letters  in  one.  The  change  of  tone  is  ac- 
counted for  by  the  hypothesis  that  in  2  Corinthians  we 
have  not  one  letter  but  two.  The  letters  were  written  at 
different  times  and  under  very  different  circumstances,  and 
very  early  came  to  be  welded  into  one  letter  as  we  have 
it.  The  closing  section  of  the  epistle,  chapters  10-13,  was 
written  at  a  time  prior  to  that  of  chapters  1-9. 

{a)  Probability.  It  is  not  inherently  improbable  that 
two  letters  of  Paul's,  or  parts  of  them,  might  have  come 
into  circulation  as  one  letter.  There  is  no  external  evi- 
dence that  they  did ;  but  it  is  easily  possible.  The  letters 
of  the  Apostle  Paul  were  cherished  by  the  churches  to 
which  he  wrote,  and  they  were  copied  and  sent  to  other 
churches,  in  order  that  they  might  be  read  and  re-read 
at  the  Lord's  Day  service,  usually  in  the  place  of  the 
sermon  or  address.  Written  on  papyrus  the  copies 
through  much  rolling  and  unrolling  were  soon  worn  to 

159 


INTRODUCTION 


shreds.  The  re-copying  process  began  almost  imme- 
diately, and  each  copy  was  made  for  the  convenience  of 
church  readers.  It  would  be  quite  natural  that  parts  of 
two  letters  should  be  copied  on  the  same  papyrus  roll 
and  that  ultimately  they  should  lose  their  identity  as 
two  separate  letters.  All  the  more  is  this  likely  if  there 
were  parts  of  one  or  both  letters  which  for  some  reason 
(as,  for  example,  that  they  were  too  personal  and  in- 
timate), the  church  thought  it  better  and  more  tactful 
to  omit  from  public  reading.  It  is  therefore  not  improb- 
able that  such  a  welding  of  letters  took  place.  There  is  a 
possible  example  in  Rom.  i6. 

(b)  Theories.  Granted  the  possibiHty  that  there  are 
in  2  Corinthians  two  letters,  or  parts  of  two,  the  question 
at  once  arises,  what  letters  are  they?  The  letter  found  in 
chapters  1-9  of  course  identifies  and  locates  itself.  It 
was  written  from  Macedonia  after  Titus'  return  from 
Corinth  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  56.  But  what  of  the 
letter  in  chapters  10-13?  Two  theories  are  suggested: 
(i)  It  is  a  letter  of  which  nothing  else  is  known;  (2) 
It  is  the  "lost  letter,"  so-called,  referred  to  by  Paul  in 
2  Cor.  2:4  and  7:8-12. 

The  former  of  the  two  theories  is  very  simple  and  so  is 
fairly  satisfactory.  The  difficulty  with  it  lies  in  its  un- 
certainty. When  was  such  an  unknown  letter  written 
and  under  what  circumstances  and  from  what  place? 
The  answers  are  left  to  the  merest  guesswork. 

The  second  theory  has  very  much  in  its  favor,  and 
deserves  very  careful  consideration.  It  solves  many  very 
interesting  problems;  and,  like  all  theories,  it  is  open  to 
objections. 

3.  Is  2  Cor.  10-13  the  ''Lost  Letter"? 

(a)  Identity  of  the  "lost  letter."  Twice  in  2  Corinth- 
ians Paul  refers  to  a  letter  written  by  him  to  Corinth 

160 


INTRODUCTION 


which  caused  sorrow  to  the  writer  and  to  the  readers. 
The  passages  are  2:3-4  and  7:8-12.  It  is  usually  re- 
ferred to,  along  with  the  letter  mentioned  in  i  Cor.  5:9, 
as  a  "lost  letter."  But  a  number  of  attempts  have  been 
made  to  find  it,  and  to  identify  it  either  with  i  Corinth- 
ians, in  whole  or  in  part,  or  with  a  part  of  2  Corinthians. 
There  are  certain  severe  passages  in  i  Corinthians  (chs. 
5-6)  which  might  possibly  deserve  such  phrases  as  these 
applied  to  the  ''lost  letter,"  viz.,  "out  of  much  affliction 
and  anguish  of  heart  I  wrote  unto  you"  (2  Cor.  2:4); 
or,  "though  I  made  you  sorry  with  my  epistle,  I  do  not 
regret  it"  (2  Cor.  7:8).  These  phrases  are  applicable, 
if  at  all,  to  only  a  small  part  of  i  Corinthians. 

Much  more  plausible  is  the  discovery  of  this  "lost 
letter"  in  2  Cor.  10-13.  The  hypothesis  takes  this  form. 
In  chapters  10-13  we  have  not  the  whole,  but  a  part  of 
the  letter  which  Paul  wrote  with  "many  tears,"  and 
which  was  sent  to  Corinth  by  Titus  from  Ephesus  in  the 
summer  of  56,  (See  Order  of  Events  between  i  and  2 
Corinthians.)  The  most  personal  and  possibly  the  sever- 
est part  of  the  letter,  that  which  referred  to  the  offender 
and  his  punishment,  is  actually  "lost."  With  it  has 
gone  the  introduction  of  the  letter.  There  is  no  intima- 
tion of  the  beginning  of  a  letter  at  2  Cor.  10:1.  But  that 
part  of  the  severe  letter  which  was  best  adapted  to  reading 
in  the  church  service,  and  least  apt  to  give  constant 
personal  pain  and  mortification  to  individuals,  is  found  in 
2  Cor.  10-13. 

(b)  Arguments  for  identifying  with  chapters  10-13. 
The  evidence  in  favor  of  this  identification  is  purely  in- 
ternal. It  is  negative  rather  than  positive;  but  it  is  fairly 
conclusive.         , 

( I )  In  the  first  place  it  answers  to  the  brief  references 
which  Paul  makes  in  chapters  1-9  to  another  letter.  Sup- 
pose, for  the  sake  of  the  argument,  that  chapters  10-13 
are  the  letter  to  which  he  refers,  and  see  how  well  cer- 

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INTRODUCTION 


tain  phrases  fit  it:  "Out  of  much  affliction  and  anguish 
of  heart  I  wrote  unto  you  with  many  tears"  (2:4);  "I 
wrote  .  .  .  lest  when  I  came  I  should  have  sorrow  from 
them  of  whom  I  ought  to  rejoice"  (2:3);  "Though  I 
made  you  sorry  with  my  epistle,  I  do  not  regret  it, 
though  I  did  regret"  (7:8).  These  all  fit  the  tone  and 
style  of  chapters  10-13. 

(2)  There  are  certain  other  general  references  which, 
if  chapters  10-13  are  the  former  letter,  find  in  those 
chapters  their  basis.  For  example,  in  1:23  Paul  writes: 
"But  I  call  God  for  a  witness  upon  my  soul  that  to 
spare  you  I  forbare  to  come  unto  Corinth."  While  in 
13:2  he  had  written:  "if  I  come  again  I  will  not  spare." 

Much  of  chapters  10-13  is  given  to  a  kind  of  self-com- 
mendation which  Paul  diffidently  calls  "glorying"  or 
"boasting"  (11:5;  11:18;  12:1).  In  chapters  1-9  he 
several  times  refers  to  self-commendation:  "Are  we  be- 
ginning again  to  commend  ourselves?"  (3:1).  "We  are 
not  again  commending  ourselves  unto  you"  (5:12).  Such 
references  multiply  when  the  two  parts  of  2  Corinthians 
are  read  with  this  inverted  order  of  sequence  in  mind. 

(3)  In  the  closing  chapters  Paul  expresses  his  "fear 
lest"  there  be  need  of  great  severity  at  Corinth  because  of 
sin  and  unrepentance  (11:3;  12:20-21).  In  the  earlier 
chapters  he  is  "confident"  and  "encouraged"  and  "com- 
forted" in  his  thought  of  the  church  at  Corinth  (7:4,  6, 
9,  II,  13,  16;  8:22).  In  the  closing  chapters  Paul  mag- 
nifies his  authority  because  he  |ears  their  disobedience 
(10:2-6;  8-11).  In  the  earlier  chapters  he  rejoices  in 
their  obedience  and  loyalty  (2:5-10;  7:11). 

In  the  order  in  which  these  occur  in  2  Corinthians  they 
are  with  difficulty  reconciled.  If  the  closing  chapters 
were  the  earlier  letter  the  change  is  most  natural.  From 
disobedience  the  church  has  changed  to  obedience;  from 
fear  and  misgiving  Paul  has  changed  to  confidence  and 
encouragement. 

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INTRODUCTION 


(c)  Objections.  To  the  identification  of  2  Cor.  10-13 
with  the  letter  referred  to  in  2:4  and  7:8  certain  objec- 
tions naturally  present  themselves.  They  must  be  given 
full  weight. 

(i)  There  is  absolutely  no  external  evidence  for  any 
such  division  of  2  Corinthians.  In  the  earliest  manu- 
scripts which  we  have,  and,  so  far  as  is  known,  in  the 
manuscript  copies  used  by  the  early  church,  the  epistle 
stands  just  as  it  is,  with  no  evidence  of  cleavage  of  any 
sort. 

(2)  ''With  many  tears"  does  not  seem  a  very  true 
description  of  chapters  10-13.  "Anguish  of  heart"  there 
is,  severity  of  tone  and  word,  indignation,  threat;  but 
hardly  "tears." 

(3)  It  is  implied  in  1:23 — 2:4  that  the  severe  letter 
took  the  place  of  an  expected  visit  by  Paul  to  Corinth,  a 
visit  which  Paul  decided  would  have  been  most  unpleasant 
for  all  concerned.  The  letter,  therefore,  should  explain 
Paul's  failure  to  go  to  Corinth  in  person  and  should  ex- 
cuse him.     There  is  no  such  excuse  in  chapters  10-13. 

(4)  It  is  made  very  plain  in  2:5-11  and  7:12  that  the 
severe  letter  had  to  do,  at  least  in  part,  with  certain 
individuals,  he  "that  did  the  wrong"  and  he  "that  suffered 
the  wrong."  There  is  no  direct  reference  to  these  persons 
in  chapters  10-13. 

In  answer  to  the  objections  it  may  be  said  again  that 
the  hypothesis  suggests  only  that  we  have  in  chapters 
10-13  a  part  of  the  severe  letter.  The  strictly  personal 
matter  was  allowed  to  be  "lost."  It  was  too  harrowing 
for  public  reading  in  church.  The  "lost"  part  might 
easily  have  cost  Paul  "many  tears"  in  the  writing,  and 
it  might  have  contained  an  explanation  of  his  abandoned 
visit.  That  there  is  no  external  evidence  for  such  a 
theory  is  significant  but  not  conclusive. 

As  a  working  hypothesis  it  is  quite  satisfactory  to 
think  of  chapters  10-13,  and  to  read  them,  as  a  part 

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of  the  letter  which  Titus  carried  to  Corinth  on  his  mis- 
sion of  reconciliation,  written  several  weeks  or  months 
before  chapters  1-9,  and  responsible,  together  with  the 
good  judgment,  wisdom  and  tact  of  Titus,  for  the  change 
in  the  Corinthians  from  disobedience  and  insult  to  obedi- 
ence and  loyalty,  and  for  the  change  in  Paul  from  sorrow 
and  apprehension  to  joy  and  comfort. 

III.    The  Trouble-makers  at  Corinth 

There  were  certain  persons  at  Corinth  who  had  been 
responsible  for  an  enormous  amount  of  trouble.  Who 
they  were  and  exactly  what  the  trouble  was  it  is  impos- 
sible to  determine  in  detail  or  with  full  satisfaction.  It 
was  not  necessary  for  Paul  in  writing  to  be  specific,  for  all 
his  readers  knew  the  precise  meaning  of  each  veiled 
reference.  Paul's  short  visit  to  Corinth  had  been  a  most 
serious  occasion  for  him  and  for  the  church.  Things 
were  said  and  done  that  scorched  and  scarred,  and 
probably  none  of  the  witnesses  of  those  church  scenes 
ever  forgot  them.  But  the  readers  in  these  later  days 
find  themselves  very  much  in  the  dark.  They  are  left 
to  a  general  knowledge  of  the  times  and  to  their  own 
ingenuity  in  piecing  together  the  story. 

A  few  facts  seem  assured.  There  was  an  individual 
and  there  was  a  group  or  party.  The  two  as  mischief- 
makers  may  or  may  not  have  been  connected.  Probably 
they  were. 

In  the  first  nine  chapters  it  is  the  individual  who  figures 
prominently.  In  the  last  four  chapters  it  is  the  group. 
If  the  last  four  chapters  were  part  of  an  earlier  letter 
than  the  first  nine,  this  difference  between  the  individual 
and  the  group  forms  one  of  the  separating  contrasts. 

I.  In  chapters  1-9  an  individual  is  twice  mentioned, 
not  by  name  but  by  a  very  pointed  reference.  'Tf  any 
hath  caused  sorrow  .  .  .  sufficient  to  such  a  one  is  this 

164 


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punishment  which  was  inflicted  by  the  many;  so  that 
contrariwise  ye  should  rather  forgive  him  and  comfort 
him,  lest  by  any  means  such  a  one  should  be  swallowed 
up  with  his  overmuch  sorrow"  (2:5-7).  And  again:  "So, 
although  I  wrote  unto  you,  I  wrote  not  for  his  cause 
that  did  the  v^rrong,  nor  for  his  cause  that  suffered  the 
wrong,  but  .   .   ."  (7:12). 

Further  than  this  there  is  nothing.  Most  of  this  sec- 
tion, chapters  1-9,  is  devoted  to  Paul's  ministry,  and  to 
his  joy  at  Titus'  report  from  Corinth.  The  references  to  a 
group  or  party  which  causes  trouble  are  few,  if  any. 
Possibly  they  are  found  in:  ''We  are  not  as  the  many, 
corrupting  the  word  of  God"  (2:17);  and,  "that  ye  may 
have  wherewith  to  answer  them  that  glory  in  appear- 
ance and  not  in  heart"  (5:12);  and,  "need  we,  as  do 
some,  epistles  of  commendation  to  you  or  from  you" 
(3:1).  Thes^  are  all,  and  these  do  not  at  all  certainly 
point  to  any  party.     They  may  be  quite  general. 

Things  that  Paul's  opponents  may  have  said  of  him 
are  found  in  echoes  throughout  the  section;  that  he  was 
fickle ;  that  he  was  a  yea  nay  man  (1:17);  that  he  was 
beside  himself  (5:13);  that  he  wronged  or  took  ad- 
vantage of  men  (7:2).  But  if  these  are  references  to 
the  storm,  they  are  but  heat  lightnings  and  not  angry 
flashes.     The  storm  has  passed. 

2.  In  the  second  section,  however,  chapters  10-13,  it 
is  quite  different.  Here  no  individual  is  mentioned  at  all. 
But  there  are  many  references  to  a  group,  and  the  storm 
has  not  passed,  it  is  raging.  (If  chapters  10-13  are  a  part 
of  the  "lost  letter,"  the  references  to  the  individual  were 
in  the  other  part  which  is  still  "lost.") 

Note  their  number  and  variety:  "I  count  to  be  bold 
against  some  which  count  of  us  as  if  we  walked  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh"  (10:2);  "His  letters,  they  say,  are 
weighty  .  .  ."  (10:10);  "We  are  not  bold  to  number  or 
compare  ourselves  with  certain  of  them  that  commend 

165 


INTRODUCTION 


themselves,  but  they  ..."  (10:12);  "if  he  that 
cometh  preacheth  another  Jesus  whom  we  did  not 
preach"  (11:4) ;  "I  reckon  that  I  am  not  a  whit  behind 
those  pre-eminent  apostles"  (11:5);  ".  .  .  that  I  may 
cut  off  occasion  from  them  which  desire  an  occasion,  that 
wherein  they  glory  they  may  be  found  even  as  we. 
For  such  men  are  false  apostles"  ( 1 1 :  12-13) ;  "Satan's 
minister"  (11:14-15);  "Seeing  that  many  glory  after 
the  flesh  .  .  ."  (11:18) ;  "Are  they  Hebrews?  So  am  I 
.  .  .  Are  they  ministers  of  Christ?  .  .  ."  (11:22-23). 

Who  were  "they"?  The  road  to  the  answer  seems 
to  lie  along  these  signposts:  (a)  Their  mission  in  Cor- 
rinth:  (i)  They  were  traveling  missionaries,  or,  at 
least,  had,  like  Paul,  come  to  Corinth  from  a  distance 
(11:4);  (2)  they  prided  themselves  on  being  Hebrews, 
Israelites,  seed  of  Abraham  (11:22);  (3)  they  were 
Christian  ministers  (11:23);  (4)  they  claimed  some 
special,  spiritual  relationship  to  Christ  (10:7);  (5) 
they  claimed  to  be  apostles  (11:5).  (The  word  apostle 
is,  of  course,  equivalent  to  missionary.  It  is  possible 
that  their  claim  had  nothing  to  do  with  "the  apostles," 
as  Jesus  named  the  twelve,  but  only  with  the  general 
term  for  commissioned  messengers) ;  (6)  they  claimed  a 
special  ministry  of  righteousness  (11:15). 

( b )  Their  estimate  of  Paul.  It  is  possible  to  read  into 
Paul's  words  a  great  deal  that  is  not  there,  and  some  of 
the  seeming  quotations  of  his  opponents'  slurs  and  abuse 
may  not  be  justified.  Nevertheless  they  certainly  looked 
upon  Paul  with  contempt  and  spoke  of  him  with  innu- 
endoes, (i)  They  said  he  "walked  according  to  the 
flesh,"  i.e.,  he  was  unspiritual.  This  was  perhaps  to 
Paul  the  worst  of  all  their  charges  (10:2) ;  (2)  that  Paul 
did  not  have  the  same  intimate  relation  to  Christ  which 
they  had  (10:7);  (3)  that  he  was  not  prepossessing: 
"his  bodily  presence  is  weak  and  his  speech  of  no  ac- 
count" (10:10);  that  he  thundered  when  at  a  safe  dis- 

166 


INTRODUCTION 


tance,  but  whispered  when  face  to  face  (io:i,  ii);  (4) 
that  he  was  no  real  apostle;  he  did  not  have  the  marks  of 
an  apostle;  he  did  not  work  miracles  (12:11-12);  he 
did  not  receive  his  support  from  his  converts  (12:13-14) ; 
but  he  took  advantage  of  them  in  some  indirect  way, 
by  his  agents,  and  "caught  them  with  guile"  (12:16-18); 
(5)  that  he  "overreached"  himself,  and  trespassed  on  the 
territory  that  belonged  to  someone  else,  and  had  no 
right  in  Corinth  (10:14). 

(c)  Paul's  estimate  of  them,  (i)  They  are  conceited 
and  ignorant  (10:12) ;  (2)  it  is  they  who  are  trespassing, 
not  he  (10:15-16);  (3)  they  are  "false  apostles,"  hypo- 
critical and  presumptuous  (11:13);  (4)  they  "preach  an- 
other Jesus,"  "a  different  spirit,"  "a  different  gospel" 
from   Paul    (11:4);    (5)    they   are   "Satan's   ministers" 

(11:15). 

These  phrases  characterize  the  trouble-makers,  but 
they  do  not  clearly  identify  them.  They  are  Jewish 
Christian  teachers,  but  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that 
they  were  such  "Judaizers"  as  came  to  Antioch  or  the 
churches  of  Galatia  and  caused  trouble  for  Paul  by 
preaching:  "Except  ye  be  circumcised  after  the  custom 
of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved"  (Acts  15:1,  5;  Gal. 
2:12-14).  There  is  nothing  in  the  epistle  anywhere 
to  indicate  that  they  were  that  kind  of  propagan- 
dists. There  is  nothing  about  the  Law  or  about  cir- 
cumcision. 

However,  they  were  Jews,  and  prided  themselves  on 
their  pure  Jewish  ancestry  (11:22-23).  They  were  not 
reactionary  "Judaizers"  but  belonged  to  a  liberal  party, 
who  in  their  relation  to  Christ  believed  themselves  to  be 
far  superior  to  Paul,  and  to  be  so  "spiritual"  that  he, 
by  comparison,  "walked  according  to  the  flesh."  They 
were  probably,  therefore,  not  Jerusalem  Jews  but  Greek- 
speaking  Jews  from  the  provinces,  and  the  term  "Juda- 
izer,"  if  used  at  all,  should  be  used  in  this  sense.    They 

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INTRODUCTION 


had  apparently  won  to  themselves  many  of  those  who 
previously  had  been  Paul's  loyal  and  devoted  supporters 
(11:2-3),  and  he  is  quite  excusable  if  he  pictures  them 
in  the  blackest  terms. 

If  chapters  10-13  are  an  earlier  letter  than  chapters 
1-9,  then,  after  Titus'  return  to  Paul,  the  heart  and 
mind  of  the  Apostle  are  set  at  rest,  not  only  in  regard 
to  the  offending  individual,  but  also  in  regard  to  the 
trouble-making  "false  apostles." 

One  other  question  arises.  Is  there  any  connection 
between  the  party-strife  of  i  Corinthians,  chapters  1-3, 
and  the  trouble-makers  of  2  Corinthians,  chapters  10-13? 
The  letters  which  deal  with  them  are  not  many  months 
apart  in  time  of  writing  and  in  time  of  conditions  de- 
scribed. In  spite  of  this  fact  there  is  nothing  in  2 
Corinthians  which  positively  identifies  any  of  the  trouble- 
makers in  the  church  with  either  of  the  parties  of  i 
Corinthians.  One  phrase  has  sometimes  been  used  as  a 
mark  of  identification  with  the  "I  am  of  Christ"  party. 
It  is  10:7,  "If  any  man  trusteth  in  himself  that  he  is 
Christ's,  let  him  consider  this  again  with  himself,  that, 
even  as  he  is  Christ's,  so  also  are  we."  This  is  scanty 
evidence  on  which  to  base  a  theory.  The  probability  is 
that  there  is  no  reference  here  to  a  Christ-party.  On  the 
other  hand  there  is  every  probability  that  the  "Judaizer" 
missionaries  made  a  greater  appeal  to  some  of  the  parties 
than  to  others,  and  that  those  who  had  adopted  the  slogan 
'T  am  of  Cephas,"  or  'T  am  of  Apollos,"  or  "I  am  of 
Christ,"  were  more  easily  influenced  against  Paul  by 
newly-arrived  claimants  to  apostleship  than  those  who 
had  stoutly  maintained  'T  am  of  Paul." 

IV.     The  Contribution 

Two  chapters  in  2  Corinthians  are  devoted  to  a  sub- 
ject  which   has   no   immediate   connection    with    what 

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INTRODUCTION 


precedes  or  with  what  follows  it  in  the  letter.  ''Minis- 
tering to  the  saints"  is  the  title  Paul  gives  it  (8:4;  9-0, 
and  it  has  to  do  with  one  of  those  many  interests  and 
activities  which  filled  his  life  full.  "That  which  presseth 
upon  me  daily,  anxiety  for  all  the  churches"  (11:28) 
is  the  way  in  which  he  refers  to  this  part  of  his  busy 
life.  His  several  letters  and  hurried  visit  to  Corinth 
illustrate  one  form  of  this  anxious  care.  His  letters  to 
the  Thessalonians,  the  Galatian  churches,  the  Romans 
are  typical  of  another.  A  third  is  barely  hinted  at  in 
the  phrase,  "All  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia  heard  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  both  Jews  and  Greeks"  (Acts  19:10). 
During  his  three  years  at  Ephesus  Paul  organized  and 
conducted  an  evangelistic  campaign  which  covered  the 
whole  province  of  Asia.  Doubtless  his  ever-enlarging 
band  of  energetic  helpers  did  most  of  the  field  work,  as, 
for  example,  Epaphras  at  Colossae  (Col.  1:7;  4:12-13); 
but  Paul  was  the  directing  head  and  inspiring  genius  of 
it  all. 

Another  illustration  of  Paul's  incessant  and  versatile 
"care  for  all  the  churches"  is  found  in  the  elaborate 
plan  which  he  originated  and  executed  for  a  large  money 
contribution  from  his  Gentile  churches  to  the  Jewish 
mother-church  at  Jerusalem. 

All  that  we  know  of  this  plan  and  its  working  is 
gleaned  from  a  few  brief  references.  Nowhere  is  there 
any  full  account.  The  passages  from  which  the  story 
is  derived  are  i  Cor.  16:1-4;  2  Cor.  8  and  9;  Rom. 
15:22-29.  In  Acts  the  only  mention  of  it  is  in  24:17, 
where  Paul  says  of  his  last  journey  to  Jerusalem,  "I 
came  to  bring  alms  to  my  nation,  and  offerings."  Except 
for  this  vague  reference  Luke  makes  not  the  slightest 
mention  of  the  plan  or  of  its  outcome. 

The  reason  for  Luke's  silence  is  not  known.  From 
innumerable  incidents  in  Paul's  life  and  ministry  Luke 
necessarily  made  choice  of  but  very  few.    The  omissions 

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INTRODUCTION 


must  have  far  outnumbered  the  incidents  chosen.  The 
"Contribution"  is  one  of  the  omissions.  Possibly  it  was 
a  ''subhme  failure."  Paul  had  his  misgivings  with  regard 
to  its  outcome  (Rom.  15:31).  Possibly  Luke's  part  and 
that  of  Titus  in  raising  the  funds  was  so  prominent  that 
the  author  of  Acts  could  not  give  the  narrative  of  the 
Contribution  without  bringing  himself  into  prominence. 
Nowhere  in  Acts  is  either  Luke  or  Titus  mentioned  by 
name.  The  omission  of  these  two  names  must  have  been 
intentional  on  the  part  of  the  author.  He  had  some  good 
reason  for  leaving  them  out. 

I.     The  Origin  of  the  Idea 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  idea  of  the  Con- 
tribution originated  in  Paul's  fertile  mind  and  warm 
heart.  Back  of  the  idea,  however,  were  two  facts  of 
serious  import.  One  was  the  poverty  of  the  Jerusalem 
church;  the  other  was  the  natural  suspicion  and  antago- 
nism which  the  Jerusalem  church  felt  toward  the  Gentile 
Christians  of  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor  and  Europe. 

The  apostles  James,  Peter  and  John,  when,  at  the 
private  interview  in  Jerusalem  about  ten  years  before 
this,  they  gave  to  Paul  and  Barnabas  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  (Gal.  2:9-10),  urged  them  to  remember  the 
poor.  Although  the  injunction  is  general  it  is  almost 
certainly  a  request  for  the  poor  of  the  Jerusalem  church. 
Paul  never  forgot  the  injunction. 

Why  the  Jerusalem  church  was  poor,  or  whether  it 
was  really  poorer  than  many  Gentile  churches,  no  one 
knows.  No  Christian  community  was  likely  to  have 
many  rich  men  or  women  in  its  membership  (Jas,  2:5). 
The  early  persecution  and  constant  oppression  by  the 
Jewish  authorities  aggravated  the  conditions  of  poverty. 
At  any  rate,  the  church  at  Jerusalem  was  poor,  and  Paul 
was  eager  to  help  it  with  alms  and  offerings  (Acts 

170 


INTRODUCTION 


24:17),  just  as  he  had  been  eager  to  relieve  the  strenuous 
famine  conditions  long  before  when  he  conducted  a 
famine-relief  expedition  from  Antioch  to  Jerusalem 
(Acts  11:29-30). 

But  there  was  another  and  stronger  reason  back  0; 
his  project.  No  one  felt  more  keenly  than  Paul  the 
suspicion  and  antipathy  which  the  mother-church  felt 
for  the  far  away  Gentile  churches.  Rumors  that  Paul 
had  gone  so  far  as  to  urge  Jewish  Christians  to  re- 
nounce Moses,  circumcision  and  all  the  old  sacred  Jewish 
customs,  were  in  circulation  everywhere  (Acts  21:21). 
Paul  cherished  the  hope,  not  without  misgivings,  that 
generous  and  kindly  recognition  of  the  Jerusalem  church 
on  the  part  of  the  Gentile  churches,  and  acknowledgment 
of  the  debt  (Rom.  15:27)  that  all  Gentile  Christians  owed 
to  the  mother-church,  might  possibly  win  the  Jewish 
Christians  in  Jerusalem  to  a  better  understanding  of  his 
Gentile  work,  and  to  more  sympathy  with  Gentile  Chris- 
tians; and  that  all  suspicion  and  jealousy  might  be  re- 
moved. It  was  the  proposition  and  hope  of  a  magnani- 
mous man. 

2.     The  Givers 

The  churches  of  four  provinces  united  in  the  proposed 
Contribution.  They  were  (i)  Galatia;  "As  I  gave  order 
to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  so  also  do  ye"  (i  Cor.  16:1). 
No  mention  is  made  of  the  Contribution  in  the  letter  to 
the  Galatians,  and  Paul  "gave  order"  to  them  either  in  a 
special  letter;  or,  more  probably,  when  he  passed  through 
Galatia  on  his  way  to  Ephesus  three  years  before  this 
(Acts  18:23).  The  churches  of  Galatia  are  the  churches 
of  Pisidian  Antioch,  Iconium,  Lystra  and  Derbe.  Other 
churches  in  the  province  of  Galatia,  whose  names  have 
not  come  down  to  us,  may  have  been  included.  (2) 
Macedonia  (2  Cor.  8:1;  Rom.  15:26).     (3)  Achaia  (2 

171 


INTRODUCTION 


Cor.,  chs.  8-9;  Rom.  15:26).  (4)  Asia.  No  mention  is 
made  by  name  of  the  part  the  churches  of  Asia  had  in 
the  Contribution,  but  the  fact  that  delegates  went  with 
Paul  from  Ephesus  to  Jerusalem  ("and  of  Asia,  Tychicus 
and  Trophimus,"  Acts  20:4;  see  also  Acts  21:29)  is 
conclusive  evidence  that  they  had  a  part.  That  Paul  in 
Rom.  15:26  mentions  only  Macedonia  and  Achaia  is 
testimony  only  to  the  fact  that  those  two  provinces  had 
the  largest  part.  When  Paul  wrote  his  letter  to  the 
Romans  he  was  in  Achaia  (Corinth)  and  he  had  just 
come  from  Macedonia. 

3.     The  Method  of  Collecting 

"As  I  gave  order  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  so  also  do 
ye.  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  each  one  of  you 
lay  by  him  in  store,  as  he  may  prosper,  that  no  collec- 
tions be  made  when  I  come"  (i  Cor.  16:1-2).  This  was 
genuine  systematic  giving.  It  was  an  individual  matter. 
It  was  a  weekly  offering,  made  on  the  first  day  of  each 
week.  It  was  proportionate  giving,  proportional  accord- 
ing to  each  man's  ability  to  give  (2  Cor.  8:11-12).  It 
was  purely  voluntary  (2  Cor.  9:7).  It  was,  at  least  in 
the  case  of  Macedonia,  surprisingly  generous  (2  Cor. 
8:3-4).  It  covered  a  long  period,  at  least  a  year,  prob- 
ably longer  (2   Cor.  8:10;   9:2). 

Paul  stimulated  a  friendly  rivalry  between  Macedonia 
and  Achaia.  He  told  the  churches  of  Achaia  how  gener- 
ous Macedonia  had  been  (8:2).  He  boasted  to  Mace- 
donia that  Achaia  had  been  ready  for  a  year  (9:2).  But 
the  rivalry  was  not  to  be  carried  to  the  extreme.  It  was 
long-distance  rivalry.  Paul  disapproved  of  a  spectacular 
finish  at  the  end  of  the  campaign  with  a  whirlwind  drive 
as  the  climax.  There  were  to  be  no  "collections"  at 
Corinth  after  he  arrived  (i  Cor.  16:2). 


172 


INTRODUCTION 


4.     The  Method  of  Transmitting 

The  sum  of  money  collected  during  the  year  and  more 
of  weekly  offerings  must  have  been  relatively  a  large 
one.  Paul  was  unwilling  to  handle  this  money  himself. 
He  was  eager  to  avoid  all  danger  of  suspicion  that  any 
of  it  stuck  to  his  fingers.  This  was  true  while  the  money 
was  being  collected.  "The  brother  whose  praise  is  spread 
through  all  the  churches  (generally  supposed  to  be  Luke) 
.  .  .  was  appointed  by  the  churches  to  travel  with  us  in 
the  matter  of  this  grace  .  .  .  avoiding  this,  that  any 
man  should  blame  us  in  the  matter  of  this  bounty  which 
is  ministered  by  us;  for  we  take  thought  for  things  hon- 
orable, not  only  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  also  in  the 
sight  of  men"  (2  Cor.  8:18-21). 

And  it  was  true  when  it  came  to  transmittting  the 
total  contribution  to  Jerusalem.  "When  I  arrive,  whom- 
soever ye  shall  approve  by  letters,  them  will  I  send  to 
carry  your  bounty  unto  Jerusalem;  and  if  it  be  meet 
for  me  to  go  also,  they  shall  go  with  me"  (i  Cor.  16:3-4). 
It  was  therefore  a  part  of  the  plan  that  delegates  equipped 
with  proper  credentials  should  be  the  bearers  of  this 
"bounty."  It  did  prove  to  "be  meet"  for  Paul  "to  go 
also,"  and  so  the  delegates  went  with  him. 

No  mention  of  the  delegates  as  such  is  anywhere  made. 
But  the  companions  of  Paul  when  he  goes  to  Jerusalem 
are  significant. 

Expecting  to  sail  from  Achaia  direct  to  Syria,  Paul 
suddenly  changed  his  plan  and  went  north  via  Macedonia 
to  Troas  (Acts  20:3).  A  plot  against  his  life  had  been 
discovered.  Probably  he  was  to  have  been  "lost  over- 
board" from  the  crowded  transport  bearing  pilgrims  to 
the  Passover  at  Jerusalem.  The  change  of  plan  involved 
considerable  delay.  He  would  reach  Jerusalem  not  for 
the  Passover  but  for  Pentecost.    The  Passover  was  spent 

173 


INTRODUCTION 


at  Philippi  (20:6).  The  change  also  involved  changes 
in  the  plan  for  meeting  the  delegates,  who  ''were  waiting 
for  us  at  Troas"  (20:5).  The  names  of  some  of  these 
delegates  are  given  by  the  author  of  Acts,  and  the  fact 
that  they  were  representatives  of  churches  is  emphasized 
by  the  identification  of  each  one  (20:4).  "There  ac- 
companied him: 

Sopater  of  Beroea  1 

Aristarchus  of  Thessalonica  ^Macedonia 
Secundus  of  Thessalonica    J 

Gaius  of  Derbe  \n  ^    ■ 

Timothy   (of  Lystra)  f<^alatia 

Tychicus  of  Asia  \  .   . 

Trophimus  (of  Ephesus)       J  ^^^^ 

The  delegates  from  Achaia  would  have  left  Corinth 
with  Paul  and  so  are  not  included  in  the  account  in  Acts 
with  those  who  made  Troas  their  meeting  place. 

Whether  all  these  men  went  to  Jerusalem,  we  do  not 
know.  Presumably  they  did.  Mention  is  made  of  Troph- 
imus in  Jerusalem  (Acts  21:29).  Probably  the  others 
were  there  too.  Certainly  they  all  met  at  Troas,  even 
if  they  there  delegated  their  authority  to  a  smaller 
number. 

5.     The  Receipt  of  the  Gift 

That  Paul  had  misgivings  as  to  the  reception  that  the 
delegates  and  their  gift  would  be  accorded  in  Jerusalem 
is  seen  in  his  letter  to  the  Romans  (15:30-31)  'T  be- 
seech you  .  .  .  that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your 
prayers  to  God  for  me,  that  I  may  be  delivered  from 
them  that  are  disobedient  in  Judea,  and  that  my  ministra- 
tion which  I  have  for  Jerusalem  may  be  acceptable  to  the 
saints." 

174 


INTRODUCTION 


It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  we  have  not  the  slightest 
intimation  of  the  result  or  the  effect  of  the  Contribution. 
The  author  of  Acts  seems  studiously  to  avoid  all  mention 
of  it;  and  Paul  falls  into  trouble  soon  after  his  arrival 
in  Jerusalem,  in  another  attempt  to  bring  about  harmony 
between  the  two  factions.  It  is  from  Paul's  letters  that 
our  meager  information  of  this  notable  effort  at  recon- 
ciliation is  drawn;  and  no  letter  of  his  written  at  this  time 
has  survived. 

V.    The  Outline  of  the  Epistle 

A  somewhat  different  method  of  outline  has  been  fol- 
lowed for  2  Corinthians  from  that  which  is  usually  pur- 
sued. The  purpose  has  been  not  only  to  give  a  careful 
outline  of  the  epistle  itself,  but  also  to  illustrate  a  method 
of  Bible  study  by  outline  which  is  profitable  in  the  school 
or  in  the  home. 

It  is  as  applicable  of  course  to  any  literary  work  as 
it  is  to  the  Bible;  and  especially  is  it  usable  and  helpful 
when  the  thought  of  the  writer  is  not  easily  gained  at 
the  first  reading,  or  where  there  is  so  much  thought 
that  each  new  reading  opens  new  doors  of  entrance  into 
its  depths. 

The  quest  of  the  Bible  interpreter  is  for  the  exact 
meaning  of  the  author— the  meaning  that  he  intended  his 
first  readers  to  get.  Few  of  the  New  Testament  writers 
wrote  for  a  distant  posterity.  Some  of  them  did  not 
expect  that  there  would  be  any  posterity.  They  wrote, 
without  thought  of  coming  generations,  for  the  immediate 
attention  of  men  and  women  of  their  own  generation. 
The  application,  therefore,  can  be  neglected  by  the  inter- 
preter, at  least  until  he  is  sure  that  he  has  mastered 
the  writer's  exact  meaning  to  his  first  readers. 

In  seeking  that  exact  and  primary  meaning  there  are 
two  questions  that  in  theory,  and  usually  in  practice, 

175 


INTRODUCTION 


may  be  asked.  They  should  be  asked  not  only  of  the 
writing  as  a  whole,  but  of  each  separate  paragraph.  They 
are  exceedingly  simple  and  elementary,  but  they  are  not 
always  easy  to  answer.  The  questions  are,  first:  What  is 
the  author  talking  about?  Second:  What  does  he  say 
about  it? 

The  answers  should  be  in  exact  and  concrete  form,  not 
merely  a  paraphrase  of  the  writer's  words.  The  answer 
to  the  first  should  give  a  short,  concise  subject;  the 
answer  to  the  second  should  give  the  subordinate  heads 
under  that  subject.  It  can  be  carried  out  so  as  to  include 
every  word  the  author  has  written,  and  when  the  answers 
have  been  given  the  result  is  of  course  a  complete  logical 
outline  of  each  paragraph.  It  may  be  cumbersome  and 
often  overbalanced,  but  the  result  justifies  the  method. 

This  outline  is  naturally  not  the  author's  outline.  He 
may  have  had  no  outline  as  he  wrote.  It  may  not  be  the 
outline  of  any  other  interpreter.  A  literary  work  is  often 
like  a  beautiful  piece  of  architecture,  seen  from  different 
points  of  view  it  presents  very  different  faces;  but  it  is  the 
same  edifice. 

But  it  is  the  thought  of  the  author  arranged  in 
orderly  manner  as  that  particular  student  of  the  author 
sees  it.  And  it  is  the  assurance  to  his  own  mind  that 
he  does  understand  the  author's  message  even  to  the  least 
emphasis.  If  he  cannot  so  order  the  thought  he  has  no 
such  assurance. 

It  is  often  arbitrary.  It  is  sometimes  most  difficult 
to  name  the  thing  the  author  is  talking  about,  or  to  fasten 
upon  and  characterize  by  name  or  epithet  the  thing 
he  says  about  it.  But  the  fascination  of  the  mental 
processes  in  attempting  it,  and  the  satisfaction  in  success 
are  both  profitable  and  enjoyable. 

The  attempt  has  been  made  in  the  outlines  which 
follow  to  pursue  that  method.  The  results  are  often 
clumsy  and  inadequate,  but  they  will  at  least  serve  as  an 

176 


INTRODUCTION 


example  of  a  form  of  Bible  study  which  is  possible  for 
the  individual  student  or  for  the  group,  and  which  lends 
intense  interest  to  the  search  for  the  message  which  the 
Bible  writers  had  for  those  to  whom  they  wrote.  It  is 
applicable  to  all  the  forms  of  Biblical  literature,  and  to 
none  more  so  than  to  the  epistles  of  Paul. 

The  following  is  the  general  outline  of  2  Corinthians 
which  has  been  developed  more  in  detail  just  preceding 
the  comment  on  the  successive  paragraphs: 


Salutation,  1:1-2 

Introduction:   Paul's  Encouragement  in  Trouble, 
1:3-11 

1.  Its  source;    1:3-5. 

2.  Its  effect;  1:6-7. 

3.  A  special  instance;  1:8-11. 

I.     Paul's  Sincerity  of  Heart  and  Life,  1:12 — 2:17. 

1.  Attested  by  his  own  conscience;  1:12. 

2.  Attested  by  those  who  know  him;  1:13-14. 

3.  Attested  by  his  relation  to  Christ  and  God;  1:15-22. 

4.  Attested  by  the  jacts;  1:23 — 2:13. 

Conclusion:  God's  Triumphal  Procession;  2:14-17. 

II.     Paul's  Ministry  of  the  Nev^  Covenant, 
3:1 — 6:10 

Introduction:  His  Letters  of  Introduction;  3:1-3. 

1.  The  Character  of  the  Ministry;  3:4-18. 

2.  The  Conduct  of  the  Ministry;  4:1-6. 

3.  The  Limitations  of  the  Ministry;  4:7 — 5:12. 

4.  The  Secret  of  the  Ministry;  5:13 — 6:10. 

177 


INTRODUCTION 


III.     Paul's  Joy  in  the  Corinthians,  6:ii — 7:16. 

1.  The  Ways  in  which  it  finds  expression;  6:11 — 7:4. 

2.  The  Immediate  Cause;  7:5-6. 

3.  The  Underlying  Cause;  7:7-13. 

4.  An  Additional  Cause;  7:13-16. 

IV.    The  Grace  of  Giving  (to  the  Saints  at  Jeru- 
salem), 8:1 — 9:15 

1.  Illustrated  in  the  Churches  of  Macedonia;  8:1-7. 

2.  Desired  in  the  Churches  of  Achaia;  8:7-15. 

3.  Administered  efficiently  in  both  provinces;  8:16 — 9:5 

4.  Regulated  by  the  Law  of  the  Harvest;  9:6-15. 

V.     Paul's  ''Glorying",   10:1 — 12:13. 

1.  The  Boldness  which  characterizes  it;  10:1-18. 

2.  The  Grounds  which  excuse  it;  ii:i — 12:13. 

Intro.    His  excuse  for  talking  about  the  grounds; 
11:1-6. 

a.  His  gratuitous  preaching  at  Corinth;  11:7-15. 

b.  His  honor  "in  the  flesh";  11:16 — 12:13. 
Intro.;   11:16-21. 

(i)   In  his  ancestry  and  race;   11:22. 

(2)  As  a  minister  of  Christ;   11:23-31. 

(3)  In  his  visions  and  revelations;  12:1-10. 
Conclusion;  12:11-13. 

VI.    Paul's    Intended    Visit    to    Corinth,    12:14 — 
13:10 

1.  Its  Number — the  third;  12:14. 

2.  Its  Object;  12:14-19. 

178 


INTRODUCTION 


3.  Its  possible  disappointment  to  Paul;  12:20-21, 

4.  Its  possible  disappointment  to  them;  13:1-9. 
Conclusion;  13:10. 

Conclusion,  13:11. 

Salutations,  13:12-13. 

Benediction,  13:14. 


179 


i:i 


THE  SECOND  EPISTLE  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

Salutation  1:1-2 

I.  I.  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  through  the  will 
of  God,  and  Timothy  ^  our  brother,  unto  the  church 
of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  with  all  the  saints  which 

^  Gr.,   the   brother. 

Salutation 

I.  The  Authors  introduced. 

1.  Paul. 

(i)  Authority:    Apostle  of  Christ  Jesus. 
(2)  Appointment:  through  God's  will. 

2.  Timothy,  the  Christian  brother. 
II.  The  Readers,  to  whom  introduced. 

1.  The  Church  of  God  at  Corinth. 

2.  All  Christians  in  the  Province  of  Achaia. 
III.  The  Prayer  of  Salutation. 

Content  of  petition:     Grace,  Peace. 

1.  Source: 

(i)   God  our  Father. 

(2)  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Destination — "you";  all  the  readers. 

No  two  of  Paul's  salutations  are  alike.  They  are  so  varied 
and  so  significant  that  each  deserves  careful  study.  Though  the 
similarities  are  marked,  there  is  in  the  salutation  of  each  letter 
something  that  is  peculiar  to  itself. 

In  its  simplest  terms  the  formal  salutation  in  common  use 
would  have  made  this  letter  begin:  Paul  to  the  Church  at 
Corinth,  Greeting.  The  Epistle  of  James  comes  the  nearest  of 
the  New  Testament  letters  to  the  stereotyped  forms  of  salutation. 
But  most  of  the  New  Testament  writers,  and  Paul  in  particular, 

180 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         i  :i 

vary  the  form  and  lengthen  it.  The  author  is  introduced  with 
a  statement  of  his  rank  or  authority  as  well  as  his  identity; 
the  reader  or  readers  are  given  some  descriptive  or  complimen- 
tary phrase;  and  the  simple  "Greeting"  is  enlarged  into  a  prayer, 
the  favorite  petitions  in  which  ask  for  grace,  and  peace  for  the 
readers.  The  two  epistles  to  Timothy  add  "mercy"  between 
"grace"  and  "peace." 

i:i.  An  Apostle.  This  is  Paul's  title  of  authority,  and  in 
all  but  four  of  his  letters  he  uses  it.  Twice  he  precedes  it  with 
the  designation  "slave  (servant)  of  Christ,"  or  "slave  of  God." 
To  the  Philippians  he  uses  only  the  title  "slaves  of  Christ  Jesus" 
for  himself  and  Timothy.  To  the  Thessalonians  there  is  no 
title  of  authority  given.  To  Philemon  he  calls  himself  a  "pris- 
oner of  Christ  Jesus."  If  there  is  any  question  of  his  authority 
Paul  lays  strong  emphasis  on  his  apostleship.  Jesus  chose  twelve 
"whom  also  He  named  apostles"  (Lk.  6:13).  The  name  is 
nearly  the  equivalent  of  "Missionary."  They  were  sent  forth 
by  Jesus  on  the  business  of  the  Kingdom.  Though  not  one  of  the 
twelve,  Paul  claimed  an  equal  right  to  the  title  apostle  and  to 
its  authority.  He  was  chosen  and  sent  forth  by  Christ  Jesus 
no  less  than  they.  On  this  he  insists  with  great  emphasis.  In 
Corinth  certain  church  workers  had  been  opposing  Paul's  au- 
thority. He  calls  them  "false  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  fashion- 
ing themselves  into  apostles  of  Christ."  Because  of  them,  in 
this  letter,  as  in  the  letter  to  the  Galatians,  he  lays  great  stress 
on  his  credentials.  He  is  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus,  not  self- 
appointed,  but  under  appointment  of  God — through  God's  will. 

Timothy  our  brother.  The  brother,  i.e.,  your  brother. 
Timothy  was  well  known  at  Corinth.  He  was  with  Paul  during 
part  at  least  of  the  eighteen  months  spent  there  when  the  church 
was  organized  (Acts  18:5).  "Timothy  the  brother"  is  sufficient 
reference  to  one  so  well  known.  He  is  not,  however,  like  Paul, 
an  "Apostle." 

In  most  of  Paul's  letters  some  friend  or  friends  of  the  readers 
are  associated  with  the  author  in  the  salutation.  In  i  Corin- 
thians it  was  Sosthenes  "the  brother."  In  six  of  the  letters  it  is 
Timothy.  It  is  an  evidence  of  Timothy's  close  relationship  to 
Paul  and  his  great  influence  among  his  "brother"  Christians 
everywhere.  This  letter,  like  all  of  Paul's  letters,  is  nevertheless 
strictly  his  own  message.  He  does  not  share  the  responsibility 
for  it  with  anyone.  After  the  salutation  it  would  be  difficult 
to  discover  any  part  that  Timothy  has  in  the  letter.  Even  when 
the  first  person  plural  is  used  it  does  not  as  a  rule,  and  probably 
not  once,  include  Timothy.    It  is  Paul's  letter. 

181 


I  :i         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

The  Church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth.  Once  (Rom. 
i6:i6)  Paul  uses  the  phrase  "churches  of  Christ."  That  is  the 
only  use  of  the  term  in  the  New  Testament.  Elsewhere  it  is 
always  the  church  of  God,  or  the  churches  of  God.  It  is  God's 
church,  but,  figuratively,  it  is  Christ's  body.  Although  Paul 
often  uses  the  plural,  "churches  of  God,"  he  thought  of  the 
church  of  God  as  being  one  great  whole.  Just  as  one  might 
speak  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  at  New  York,  or  at  Boston,  he 
spoke  of  the  church  of  God  at  Corinth.  Just  as  the  ocean  is 
not  at  its  best  and  purest  at  every  point,  so  the  church  of  God 
at  Corinth  was  not  at  its  purest  or  its  best  .  But  it  was  the 
church  of  God.     It  could  be  purified. 

All  the  saints.  "Christians"  would  be  a  better  rendering, 
though  not  a  translation.  "Saints"  in  our  vocabulary  is  likely 
to  be  misleading  .  They  were  "saints"  because  they  were  called 
to  be  saints,  to  be  holy,  to  be  separated  as  God's  people;  not 
because  they  had  reached  any  advanced  stage  of  Christian  per- 
fection. It  is  a  tribute  to  Paul's  optimism  and  hope  that,  in 
spite  of  their  moral  deficiencies  he  calls  the  Corinthian  Chris- 
tians "holy,"  "saints."  Though  the  term  "saints"  impUes  that 
they  had  been  separated,  sanctified, — there  is  nothing  of  the 
sanctimonious  in  it. 

The  whole  of  Achaia.  Paul  always  spoke  geographically  in 
terms  of  Roman  Provinces.  Achaia  was  a  Roman  senatorial 
province,  governed  by  a  proconsul  whose  residence  was  at 
Corinth.  During  a  part  of  Paul's  first  long  stay  in  Corinth, 
September,  51  a.d.  to  March,  53  a.d.,  GalUo,  the  brother  of 
Seneca,  was  proconsul  of  Achaia  (Acts  18:12). 

One  of  Paul's  methods  of  evangeUzation,  which  developed  with 
his  increasing  experience,  was  to  reach  the  surrounding  country 
from  some  city  as  a  strategic  center.  As  early  as  at  Pisidian 
Antioch,  47  a.d.,  it  could  be  said,  "The  word  of  the  Lord 
was  spread  abroad  throughout  all  the  region,"  i.e.,  all  Phrygia 
(Acts  13:49).  Doubtless  all  Achaia  in  a  similar  way  had  heard 
the  gospel,  and  there  were  many  Christians.  Athens  was  in 
Achaia,  and  so  was  Cenchreae,  the  harbor  of  Corinth  on  the 
-^gean  side  of  the  peninsula.  There  were  Christians  at  Athens 
(Acts  17:34)  ;  and  there  was  a  church  at  Cenchreae  (Rom.  16:1). 
Although  the  letter  is  addressed  to  the  church  in  the  city  of 
Corinth  Paul  graciously  includes  in  the  salutation  all  the  Chris- 
tians in  the  province  of  which  Corinth  was  the  capital.  They 
were  certainly  associated  with  the  church  in  Corinth  in  some 
intimate  way  and  must  have  known  something  of  the  difficulties 
that  had  arisen  there. 

182 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         i  :3 


2.  are  in  the  whole  of  Achaia:  Grace  to  you  and  peace 
from  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Introduction:   Paul's  Encouragement  in  Trouble, 
1:3-11 

3.  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies  and  God  of  all  com- 


2.  Grace  to  you  and  peace.  Paul's  two  favorite  words  in 
the  salutation  of  his  letters.  In  their  choice  he  may  possibly 
have  been  influenced  slightly  by  the  similarity  of  sound  in  the 
Greek  language  between  these  two  words  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  formal  word  "Greeting,"  on  the  other.  They  sound  very 
much  alike.  But  besides  that,  grace  and  peace  are  to  Paul  the 
most  comprehensive  words  in  his  Christian  vocabulary.  They 
are  rich  in  historical  associations.  The  priestly  benediction 
(Num.  6:22-26)  was  similar  in  thought.  But  they  had  been 
wonderfully  enriched  by  Christian  use.  To  Paul  grace  includes 
all  of  God's  gracious  giving.  It  has  its  consummation  in  Christ, 
God's  "unspeakable  gift"  (9:15),  and  in  all  the  blessings  that 
come  to  men  and  women  through  Jesus  Christ.  On  the  other 
hand,  peace  is  the  harmony  and  satisfaction  which  come  into  a 
life  that  has  accepted  God's  grace,  is  reconciled  to  God,  and  rests 
in  the  assurance  of  forgiven  sin.  In  this  sense  Jesus  was  the 
great  />eace-maker.  He  was  the  Son  of  God;  and  so,  "Blessed 
are  the  makers  of  peace  for  they  shall  be  called  God's  Sons" 
(Matt.  5:9).  Grace  and  peace  sum  up,  for  Paul,  all  the  bless- 
ings of  Christianity,  the  wealth  of  God's  gracious  giving,  the  re- 
sults in  man's  full  acceptance.  In  every  letter  Paul  begins  with 
a  prayer  that  his  readers  may  have  these  blessings. 

Paul's  Encouragement  in  Trouble,  1:3-11 

I.  Its  source  is  in  God,  vs.  3. 

a.  His  Identity— The  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

b.  His  Nature: — 

(i)  The  Father,  whose  characteristic  is  mercy. 

(2)  The  God,  whose  characteristic  is  encouragement. 

c.  His  Expression  of  his  nature— keeps  Paul  encouraged,  vs.  4- 
(i)   Occasion— in  his  every  trouble; 

(2)  End     (purposed     and     actual) —ability     to    encourage 
others ; 

183 


i:3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

■     (a)   Occasion — in  their  every  trouble; 

(b)  Means — by  his  own  personal  experience. 
(3)  Agent — Christ,  vs.  5: 

(a)  Measure  of  his  encouragement — abundant; 

(b)  Comparison — as    abundant    as    his    sufferings    for 

Christ. 

2.  Its   effect    (designed   and   actual) — the   encouragement   of   the 

Corinthians,  vs.  6. 

a.  Method: 

(i)  Through  his  trouble,  inspiration  to  patience; 

(2)  Through  his  encouragement,  inspiration  to  courage. 

b.  Surety — a  hope  well  grounded  in  his  knowledge  of  them, 

vs.  7. 

3.  A  special  instance — Paul's  trouble  in  Asia,  vs.  8. 

a.  Severity — a  trouble  almost  too  heavy  to  bear. 

b.  Extent — Death's  door, 
(i)   Utter  despair  of  Ufe; 

(2)   Death  sentence  passed  on  himself,  vs.  9. 

c.  End — (designed  result)  perfect  trust,  not  in  self,  but  in  God. 

d.  Outcome — rescue  and  confidence,  vs.  10. 

e.  Result — encouragement;  assurance  of  rescue  always,  in  God. 
Grounds — the  prayers  of  the  Corinthians  for  him,  vs.  11. 
(i)  Effectiveness — a  subtle  help; 

(2)   Desired  end — many  expressions  of  thanks  to  God. 

This  introduction  is  not  a  thanksgiving,  but  it  springs  out  of 
Paul's  overflowing  thankfulness.  He  is  not  uttering  a  thanksgiv- 
ing to  God,  but  tells  his  readers  how  much  he  has  to  be  thankful 
for,  and  what  it  is.  He  begins  nearly  every  letter  he  writes  with 
a  thanksgiving  or  with  a  statement  of  his  thankfulness.  Its 
absence  in  the  letter  to  the  Galatians  is  therefore  noteworthy. 
Usually  Paul's  introduction  begins  "I  thank  my  God,"  or  "We 
give  thanks  to  God."  Here  he  uses  an  equivalent  phrase.  The 
"blessing"  and  the  "thanksgiving"  are  almost  synonymous.  He 
blesses  God  for  his  encouragement.  The  return  of  Titus  from 
Corinth  with  a  message  to  Paul  of  the  renewed  loyalty  of  the 
church  gives  the  apostle  new  cause  for  rejoicing  and  hope.  He 
thanks  God  and  takes  courage. 

His  thought  in  the  introduction  is  this:  My  heart  is  full  of 
gratitude  to  God,  for  again,  as  always.  He  has  given  me  the 
encouragement  I  needed  in  trouble.  He  is  an  unfailing  source 
of  such  encouragement,  supplying  it  as  often  as  I  need  it.  As 
my  sufferings  are  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  so  Christ  is  the  agent 
of  my  encouragement.  And  this  constant  supply  of  encourage- 
ment in  trouble  gives  me  the  opportunity,  through  my  own  ex- 

184 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         i  'A 

4.    fort;  who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  affliction,  that  we 
may  be  able  to  comfort  them  that  are  in  any  afflic- 

perience,  to  be  a  source  of  encouragement  to  you  and  to  others. 
There  has  been  one  notable  instance  recently  in  Asia.  I  wish 
you  knew  all  about  it.  It  was  a  trouble  that  brought  me  to 
death's  door,  and  I  despaired  of  life.  But  God  raised  me  up  and 
saved  me,  and  I  have  learned  never  to  despair,  trusting  in  God's 
care  for  me,  and  in  the  effectiveness  of  your  prayers  on  my 
behalf.  And  one  further  result  of  such  prayers  and  such  rescues, 
is  that  thanksgivings  in  great  abundance  rise  to  God  from  many 
hearts.     The  more  thanksgiving  we  can  have  the  better. 

3.  Blessed.  Used  in  the  New  Testament  only  of  God  or 
Christ;  the  equivalent  of  "worthy  to  be  praised."  Hence  it  is 
almost  an  alternative  expression  for  "deserving  of  gratitude,  or 
thanks." 

The  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Paul  does 
not  hesitate  to  speak  of  God  as  both  the  God  and  Father  of 
Jesus  Christ  (see  also  Eph.  1:17).  It  is  first  of  all  in  his  relation 
to  Jesus  Christ  that  God  is  known  by  Paul  to  be  a  God  whose 
characteristic  is  encouragement,  and  a  Father  whose  characteristic 
is  compassion. 

Mercies.  Not  the  equivalent  of  favors,  but  of  feelings  of 
compassion.  It  is  that  emotion  which  seeks  expression  when,  in 
the  presence  of  suffering  or  need  or  sin,  one  is  moved  with  a 
desire  to  help. 

Comfort.  As  there  is  in  this  word  comfort  the  idea  of  exhor- 
tation, inspiration  to  courage  and  hope,  as  well  as  the  idea  of 
consolation,  it  is  helpful  to  read  the  passages,  substituting 
encourage  or  encouragement  for  comfort.  The  word,  as  noun 
or  verb,  occurs  ten  times  in  these  five  verses.  It  is  the  chief 
burden  of  Paul's  thought  and  of  his  gratitude,  and  it  is  the 
theme  of  his  introduction — encouragement  in  trouble.  It  is  one 
of  the  key-words  to  this  letter,  and  is  found  nineteen  times  after 
the  introduction  in  the  body  of  the  letter— almost  as  many  times 
as  in  all  the  rest  of  Paul's  letters  put  together.  The  return  of 
Titus  from  Corinth  with  good  news  has  greatly  encouraged  Paul, 
and  he  is  reminded  that  always  in  his  experience  encouragement 
and  comfort  follow  trouble.  He  thinks  of  one  remarkable  in- 
stance not  long  before  in  Asia.  And  so,  quite  naturally,  this  is 
the  burden  of  his  thankfulness. 

4.  Affliction.  Trouble  gives  the  meaning  better.  It  includes 
any  stress  under  outside  pressure,  mental  anxiety,  spiritual  dis- 
couragement, accident,  danger,  physical  pain   or  disability. 

185 


1 :5         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

tion,  through  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 

5.  comforted  of  God.  For  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
abound  unto  us,  even  so  our  comfort  also  aboundeth 

6.  through  Christ.  But  whether  we  be  afflicted,  it  is 
for  your  comfort  and  salvation;  or  whether  we  be 
comforted,  it  is  for  your  comfort,  which  worketh  in 

7.  the  patient  enduring  of  the  same  sufferings  which 


5.  The  sufferings  of  Christ  abound  unto  us.  The  em- 
phasis here  is  on  Christ  as  the  agent  through  whom  Paul's  en- 
couragement has  come.  To  are  comforted  of  God  (vs.  4),  verse 
5  adds  abundantly  through  Christ.  Paul  says  that  this  encourage- 
ment that  God  gives  him  through  Christ  is  always  as  abundant 
as  the  sufferings  which  come  into  his  life  because  he  is  Christ's 
follower.  It  is  unnecessary  to  find  anything  more  subtle  than 
that  in  his  words.  The  sufferings  of  Christ  which  were  abundant 
in  his  life  are  the  afflictions  of  which  he  has  just  spoken. 
Abundant  as  they  are,  they  are  no  more  abundant  than  the  en- 
couragement that  meets  them.  That  encouragement  comes  to 
him  through  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  its  source;  Christ  is  its  agent. 
Elsewhere  (e.g.,  Col.  1:24)  Paul  uses  the  figure  of  the  church  as 
the  body  of  Christ,  and  draws  a  parallel  between  the  sufferings 
of  Christ's  physical  body  and  the  sufferings  of  Christ's  figurative 
body,  the  church.  As  a  member  of  the  church  which  is  His  body 
Paul  suffered  the  sufferings  of  Christ's  body.  There  seems,  how- 
ever, to  be  nothing  of  that  metaphor  here.  It  is  best  to  take 
it  in  its  simplest  meaning. 

6.  It  is  for  your  comfort.  One  effect,  designed  and  actual, 
of  Paul's  troubles,  as  the  effect  of  his  encouragement  also,  is  the 
examp>le  it  sets  his  readers  and  the  inspiration  it  gives  them  to 
endure  patiently  and  hopefully  similar  troubles.  To  think  of 
troubles  in  that  way  helps  him.  He  adds  to  the  first  clause. 
Salvation,  for  always  he  thinks  of  his  troubles  as  having  their 
chief  purpose  in  making  him  an  efficient  minister  of  salvation  to 
men.  (A  great  uncertainty  as  to  the  exact  order  of  the  words 
in  the  original  at  this  point,  is  responsible  for  the  difficult  ren- 
dering here  and  in  the  A.  V.    This  order  is  probably  correct.) 

7.  Our  hope  for  you  is  stedfast;  knowing,  i.e.,  now  that 
I  know.  This  seems  to  be  a  more  personal  reference.  It  is 
veiled,  but  the  readers  would  understand  it.  Paul  had  almost 
despaired  of  them.  Now  his  hope  for  them  is  confident  and  sure. 
It  is  grounded  on  the  information  that  they  have  shared  not 

186 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         i  :8 

we  also  suffer:  and  our  hope  for  you  is  stedfast; 
knowing  that,  as  ye  are  partakers  of  the  sufferings, 
8.  so  also  are  ye  of  the  comfort.  For  we  would  not 
have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  our  affliction 
which  befell  us  in  Asia,  that  we  were  weighed  down 
exceedingly,  beyond  our  power,  insomuch  that  we 


only  in  this  particular  trouble  with  his  church  at  Corinth,  but 
that  they  have  shared  in  his  encouragement.  Titus  had  brought 
Paul  word  that  the  majority  of  the  church  had  suffered  in  this 
very  troublesome  matter  just  as  Paul  had  suffered,  and  that  they 
had  found  their  source  of  encouragement  where  Paul  found  his, 
in  God  through  Christ. 

8.  Our  affliction  which  befell  us  in  Asia.  It  is  impossible 
to  think  that  the  plurals  our  and  ics  and  we  refer  to  Paul  and 
Timothy  or  to  Paul  and  any  other,  while  the  singulars  /  and 
me  and  my  are  reserved  for  the  Apostle  alone.  He  turns  so 
easily  and  so  often  from  singular  to  plural  and  back  to  singular 
again  {e.g.,  1:13;  1:23-24)  and  it  is  often  so  difficult  to  find  any 
second  person  associated  with  him  in  the  plural  that  it  is  better 
to  take  all  of  these  plurals  as  being  the  "editorial  we."  Timothy 
is  in  all  probability  not  included  in  our  affliction. 

What  this  special  affliction,  or  trouble,  was  the  readers  of  the 
letter  at  Corinth  knew.  They  may  not  have  known  how  severe 
it  was,  but  a  reference  to  it  is  all  that  is  necessary.  It  is  im- 
possible for  Paul's  later  readers  to  discover  any  clew  by  which 
to  identify  the  affliction.  There  have  been  many  guesses.  It 
befell  him  in  Asia.  Asia  of  course  means  Ephesus.  It  was  recent, 
and  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  thought  of  as  outstanding, 
towering  above  all  his  other  troubles  in  Asia.  He  writes  as  if 
there  were  only  one  affliction  in  Asia.  It  brought  him  to  death's 
door.  He  despaired  even  of  life.  A  severe  illness  best  ex- 
plains his  description  of  the  affliction.  Some  form  of  persecu- 
tion or  of  mob  violence  might  also  explain  it.  It  is  not  likely 
that  a  man  of  Paul's  faith  and  strength  would  be  brought  to 
death's  door  by  the  anxiety  that  a  defiant  church  gave  him. 
But  that  is  sometimes  suggested  as  an  explanation.  In  great 
variety  afflictions  are  mentioned  in  chapter  11,  and  they  include 
in  deaths  oft  (11:23).  This  is  but  one  of  them.  Paul  refers  to 
it  because  it  was  recent,  known  to  his  readers,  severe,  and  because 
it  illustrated  his  many  troubles  and  the  unfailing  encouragement 
he  received.  At  Corinth  they  had  evidently  prayed  for  his  re- 
covery and  for  his  encouragement  (vs.  11). 

187 


irg         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

9.  despaired  even  of  life:  ^  yea,  we  ourselves  have  had 
the  ^  answer  of  death  within  ourselves,  that  we 
should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  but  in   God  which 

10.  raiseth  the  dead:  who  delivered  us  out  of  so  great 
a  death,  and  will  deliver:  on  whom  we  have  ^  set 

11.  our  hope  that  he  will  also  still  deliver  us;  ye  also 

^  Or,    but  we   ourselves.  *  Or,  sentence. 

2  Some  ancient  authorities  read,  set  our  hope;  and  still  will  he 
deliver    us. 

9.  The  answer  of  death.  Or,  sentence  of  death  within  our- 
selves. Death  had  seemed  the  inevitable  outcome.  He  faced 
death,  and  asked  himself  this  question,  "Must  I  die?"  And  he 
answered  it,  "Yes."  The  sentence  was  pronounced  by  himself. 
He  really  thought  he  could  not  survive.  And  so  it  seemed  to 
him  a  veritable  resurrection,  when  he  was  given  back  to  life 
out  of  so  great  a  death. 

That  we  should  not  trust  in  ourselves.  One  purpose  which 
Paul  found  in  his  varied  afflictions  was  the  resulting  effect  on 
his  churches.  They  were  encouraged  and  strengthened.  Here 
is  another  purpose.  This  illness  gave  him  a  new  sense  of  trust 
in  God,  a  new  lesson  that  trust  in  self  for  rescue  was  useless, 
and  a  vivid  experience  of  God's  power  to  raise  the  dead. 

10.  On  whom  we  have  set  our  hope.  As  always,  the  com- 
fort that  came  to  him  in  this  experience  helped  him  to  face  the 
future  with  new  courage.  It  was  genuine  encouragement.  ^  No 
matter  what  may  be  in  store  for  him  God  will  also  still  deliver 
us. 

11.  Ye  also  helping.  Very  tactfully  Paul  implies  that  his 
readers  had  a  part  in  his  recovery,  because  they  had  prayed 
earnestly  for  it.  Or  if  their  supplication  was  not  offered  for  his 
previous  rescue,  then  he  tactfully  suggests  that  in  the  future  they 
will  be  found  also  helping.  This  expectation  is  another  factor  in 
his  encouragement. 

For  the  gift  bestowed  upon  us.  The  deliverance  is  a  special 
gift  of  God,  a  special  favor  bestowed  upon  Paul,  in  answer  to 
the  prayers  of  his  many  friends. 

Thanks  may  be  given.  Here  is  another  purpose  in  affliction 
and  encouragement,  the  thanksgivings  that  are  sure  to  result. 
No  one  ever  had  more  of  the  spirit  of  gratitude  than  Paul.  He 
is  always  interrupting  himself  to  exclaim  thanks  be  to  God  (Rom. 
6:17;  7:2s;  I  Cor.  15:57;  2  Cor.  2:14;  8:16;  9:15).  And  it 
seemed  to  him  a  result  very  much  to  be  desired  that  a  chorus  of 

188 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       i:ii 

helping  together  on  our  behalf  by  your  supplication; 
that,  for  the  gift  bestowed  upon  us  by  means  of 
many,  thanks  may  be  given  by  many  persons  on 
our  behalf. 

thanksgivings  should  be  ascending  constantly  to  God.  Anything 
that  accomplished  that  end  gave  him  great  joy.  He  counted  on 
the  fact  that  all  those  who  had  prayed  for  his  deliverance  would 
return  thanks  for  his  deliverance.  So  the  chorus  would  be  swelled, 
and  another  worthy  outcome  of  his  troubles  would  be  achieved. 


189 


i:i2 


I.     Paul's  Sincerity  of  Heart  and  Life,  1:12 — 2:17. 

12.  For  our  glorying  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our 
conscience,  that  in  holiness  and  sincerity  of  God, 
not  in  fleshly  wisdom  but  in  the  grace  of  God,  we 


This  is  the  subject  about  which  Paul  feels  impelled  first  to 
write.  It  touches  him  at  a  vital  point.  It  has  to  do  with  his 
honor.  He  has  been  accused  of  insincerity  and  fickleness.  Titus' 
return  has  greatly  cheered  Paul's  heart,  because  he  brings  the  news 
that  the  majority  at  least  of  the  church  at  Corinth  believe  in  him 
and  are  loyal  to  him.  Nevertheless  he  cannot  help  but  say  a  few 
things  in  defense  of  his  absolute  sincerity,  not  only  of  heart,  but 
also  of  words  and  plans  and  actions.  It  is  a  difficult  thing  to 
prove  one's  own  sincerity.  Talking  about  it  will  not  do  it.  In- 
sisting that  one  is  sincere  does  not  prove  it.  But  to  those  who 
are  inclined  to  believe  in  Paul  the  arguments  will  seem  conclusive. 

It  is  possible  to  gather  from  what  he  writes  in  his  own  defense 
some  of  the  charges  which  have  been  made  against  him.  They  are 
vague  references,  but  these  are  some  of  the  malicious  accusations: 
he  is  insincere  (12)  ;  fickle  (17)  ;  a  "yea  and  nay"  man  (18)  ; 
writes  his  own  credentials  (3:1,  5:12);  is  "beside  himself,"  i.e., 
unbalanced  (5:13).  And  to  these  can  be  added  a  few  gleanings 
from  chapters  10-13:  "his  letters  are  weighty,  his  presence  puny" 
(10:10);  he  shakes  his  fist  when  he  is  at  a  safe  distance,  but 
when  he  is  close  to  them  he  only  shakes  his  finger  (10:1);  he 
walks  "according  to  the  flesh,"  i.e.,  he  is  very  human  for  a  man 
who  pretends  to  be  spiritual  (10:2)  ;  he  is  a  great  boaster  (10:8 
and  often).  It  is  because  such  things  as  these  have  been  said 
about  him  that  Paul  defends  his  own  sincerity.  His  argument 
seems  to  fall  under  this  outline.  His  sincerity  is  attested  by  fou/ 
kinds  of  witness: 

Paul's  Sincerity  of  Heart  and  Life 

I.  Attested  by  his  own  conscience;  vs.  12. 

a.  As  to  its  genuineness — Godlike. 

b.  As  to  its  sphere  of  expression. 

(i)  Negative:  not  in  worldly  wisdom; 
(2)  Positive:  but  in  divine  grace. 

190 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        1:14 

behaved  ourselves  in  the  world,  and  more  abundantly 
to  you-ward. 

13.  For  we  write  none  other  things  unto  you,  than 
what  ye  read   or  even  acknowledge,   and   I   hope 

14.  ye  will  acknowledge  unto  the  end:  as  also  ye  did 

c.  As  to  its  sphere  of  influence, 
(i)  The  whole  world  in  general; 
(2)  The  Corinthians  in  particular. 

12.  For.  The  transition  from  the  Introduction  to  this  proof 
of  his  sincerity.  He  can  count  on  their  prayers  for  him  and  his 
constant  encouragement  in  trouble  jot  he  is  absolutely  sincere, 
he  glories  in  his  consciousness  of  sincerity  in  all  that  he  is  and 
all  that  he  does.  Our  glorying.  This  is  one  of  Paul's  words. 
It  seems  to  be  reminiscent  of  one  of  the  accusations  against  him. 
Perhaps  they  misused  his  own  expression  and  turned  it  upon  him. 
Only  four  times,  in  James  (3)  and  in  Hebrews  (i),  is  glorying 
in  any  of  its  forms  found  outside  of  Paul's  letters  in  the  New 
Testament.  But  Paul  uses  it  nearly  fifty  times.  Especially  in 
chapters  10-12  is  it  frequent.  There  it  is  one  of  the  key-words 
to  his  letter.  It  is  rendered  rejoicing  in  the  authorized  version. 
The  word  is  inadequate.  Boasting  is  too  strong.  It  is  better  to 
use  the  uniform  rendering  glorying.  He  glories  in  his  conscious- 
ness of  sincerity.  Sincerity  of  God,  i.e.,  a  sincerity  that  is  holy 
and  Godlike.  It  is  God's  sincerity,  a  striking  phrase.  The  word 
in  is  used  in  this  verse  with  three  phrases,  each  giving  a  different 
emphasis  to  the  attestation  of  his  conscience.  It  is  in  God's 
smcerity;  in  the  sphere  of  God's  grace;  in  the  world.  In  the 
Grace  of  God  is  contrasted  with  fleshly  wisdom.  The  latter  is 
human  wisdom,  man  wisdom,  worldly  wisdom,  contrasted  with 
spiritual  wisdom.  Paul  lived  his  whole  life  in  the  sphere,  or 
atmosphere,  of  God's  grace,  i.e.,  of  God's  gracious,  lavish  giving. 
Living  m  that  atmosphere  his  sincerity  partakes  of  it.  It  is  God- 
like sincerity.  In  the  world.  Toward  the  whole  world  he  knows 
he  is  sincere;  how  much  more  toward  the  Church  at  Corinth 
which  is  in  the  same  realm,  or  sphere,  of  God's  grace. 

2.  Attested  by  those  who  understand  him;  vss.  13,  14. 

a.  Who  they  are:     The  Corinthians  themselves, 
(i)  Who  all  understand  him  now; 

(2)  Who  will  continue  to  understand  him,  he  hopes; 

(3)  Who,  in  part,  always  have  understood  him. 

b.  What  their  understanding  signifies:   they  appreciate  that  he 

is  their  object  of  glorying,  as  they  are  his. 

191 


i:i4       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

13,  14.  The  difficulty  in  these  two  verses  is  no  fault  of  Paul's. 
It  is  the  difficulty  of  transferring  a  play  upon  words  from  one 
language  into  another.  There  seems  to  be  no  way  of  reproducing 
it  in  English.  The  play  is  upon  the  word  read  and  the  word 
acknowledge,  which  are  very  much  alike.  Paul's  thought  is  this: 
What  I  say  about  my  sincerity  is  acknowledged  and  understood 
by  you  all.  There  is  nothing  that  must  be  read  between  the  lines. 
You  all  now  understand  my  letters  and  me — and  I  hope  you 
always  will — as  some  of  you  always  have  understood.  When 
the  Lord  comes  I  shall  be  as  much  to  you  as  you  are  to  me. 
Acknowledge.  It  is  well  to  read  these  two  verses  substituting 
for  acknowledge  first  the  word  understand  and  then  the  word 
recognize,  both  of  which  help  to  reproduce  Paul's  meaning.  He 
is  confident  now  that  they  will  read  his  letters  without  reading 
into  them  what  is  not  there,  and  that  they  will  read  him  without 
reading  into  him  any  insincerity.  They  understand  him;  they 
recognize  his  sincerity;  they  acknowledge  it.  Unto  the  end. 
He  hopes  there  will  never  again  be  a  wwunderstanding.  Ye  did 
acknowledge  us  in  part.  The  in  part  may  mean  that  part  of 
the  church  always  did  understand  him;  or  that  the  church  never 
wholly  misunderstood  him.  In  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 
This  is  not  so  much  a  reference  to  time  as  to  a  state  of  clear 
perceptions  of  things  as  they  are.  Paul  looked  forward  to  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  When  he  comes  things  will  be  seen  as  they 
are.  So,  in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  is  here  almost  equivalent 
to  as  Christ  sees  it.  As  Christ  sees  it,  the  Corinthians  are  finding 
that  Paul  is  an  object  of  pride  on  their  part,  just  as  they  are 
his  source  of  pride.  In  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus  there  are  no 
misunderstandings. 

3,  Attested  by  his  relation  to  Christ  and  God;  1:15-22. 

a.  The  statement  to  be  proved:    He  is  not  insincere. 
Specifications: 

(i)  He  did  not  practice  the  supposed  fickleness;  vs.  17. 
(2)  His  word  is  not  "yea  and  nay";  vs.  18. 

Particular  instance  called  in  question. 

(a)   His  plan,   Macedonia    via    Corinth;    then   Judea 
via  Corinth;  vs.  15. 

(6)  His  change  of  plan  (implied)  ;  vs.  17. 

(c)  His  motive,  sincere;  vs.  18. 

b.  The  Proof: 

(i)  The  Son  of  God  is  true,  Jesus  Christ;  vs.  19. 

(a)  Identity — The  Christ  preached  to  them  by  Paul. 

(b)  Proof — All   God's   promises  have   come   true   in 

him;  vs.  20. 

192 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       1:15 


acknowledge  us  in  part,   that  we  are  your  glory- 
ing, even  as  ye  also  are  ours,  in  the  day  of  our 
Lord  Jesus. 
15.        And  in  this  confidence  I  was  minded  to  come  be- 
fore unto  you,  that  ye  might  have  a  second  '  benefit; 

^  Or,   grace.      Some   ancient  authorities  read  joy. 

(2)  Paul's    relation    to    Christ    is    one    of    identity     (w 

Christ) ;  vs.  21. 

(a)  Agent,  who  confirms  it,  is  God. 

(b)  Evidence,  found  in  anointing  and  sealing  and  in 

the  earnest  of  the  Spirit;  vs.  22. 

(3)  Conclusion:     Therefore  Paul  must  be  true. 

This  is  Paul's  real  proof  of  his  sincerity.  It  is  an  actual  demon- 
stration. First  the  theorem  to  be  proved:  He  is  not  fickle,  or 
insincere.  Then  the  argument:  The  Son  of  God  is  true;  Paul  is 
identified  with  the  Son  of  God,  the  evidence  is  complete.  There- 
fore Paul  cannot  be  untrue. 

15.  In  this  confidence.  The  confidence  that  his  own  con- 
science and  the  judgment  of  those  who  understood  him  bore 
witness  to  his  honesty  of  purpose.  This  would  seem  to  refer 
to  a  time  when  the  relations  between  Paul  and  the  Church  at 
Corinth  were  not  strained.  A  second  benefit.  The  word 
usually  rendered  grace  is  here  rendered  benefit.  The  margin  sug- 
gests that  Paul  may  have  written  joy,  not  grace.  It  is  his  con- 
sciousness of  a  God-given  authority  as  an  Apostle,  not  any  pride 
in  his  personal  attractions,  that  leads  Paul  to  speak  of  his  visits 
as  benefits,  or  as  joys.  He  did  it  in  all  humility.  And  yet  it  may 
have  been  expressions  such  as  these  that  led  to  some  of  the  charges 
against  him  of  boastfulness. 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  just  what  he  meant  by  a  second 
benefit,  but  most  probably  he  refers  to  the  two  proposed  visits 
of  which  he  goes  on  to  speak  in  the  following  verses.  The  only 
promised  visit  of  which  we  know  is  that  of  i  Cor.  16:5-9.  It 
was  his  purpose  then  (also  Acts  19:21-22)  to  go  from  Ephesus 
first  to  Macedonia  and  afterward  to  Corinth  for  a  long  visit, 
spending  the  winter  there.  He  did  not  wish  to  go  first  to  Corinth^ 
for  if  he  did  it  would  be  for  a  short  visit  only.  There  is  no 
evidence  that  he  had  before  the  writing  of  2  Corinthians  even 
mentioned  a  change  of  plans,  but  it  is  quite  possible  that  he 
may  have  done  so  in  the  "lost"  letter,  or  by  messenger.  At  any 
rate  his  plans  had  been  changed.    He  hoped  to  visit  them  on  his 


I  :i6       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

1 6.  and  by  you  to  pass  into  Macedonia,  and  again  from 
Macedonia  to  come  unto  you,  and  of  you  to  be  set 

17.  forward  on  my  journey  unto  Judaea.  When  I  there- 
fore was  thus  minded,  did  I  shew  fickleness?  or  the 
things  that  I  purpose,  do  I  purpose  according  to 
the  flesh,  that  with  me  there  should  be  the  yea  yea 

18.  and  the  nay  nay?    But  as  God  is  faithful,  our  word 

19.  toward  you  is  not  yea  and  nay.  For  the  Son  of  God, 
Jesus  Christ,  who  was  preached  among  you  ^  by  us, 
even  ^  by  me  and  Silvanus  and  Timothy,  was  not 

20.  yea  and  nay,  but  in  him  is  yea.     For  how  many 

^  Gr.,    through. 

way  to  Macedonia,  both  going  and  returning.  And  this  he  had 
not  done.  He  is  now  writing  from  Macedonia,  and  is  following 
the  original  plan  of  i  Cor,  16:5.  This  change  of  plans,  either 
from  two  visits  to  one,  or  from  one  to  two  and  back  to  one 
again,  had  given  the  disloyal  members  of  the  Church  at  Corinth 
another  occasion  to  complain  of  him.  They  said  one  never  could 
tell  what  Paul  was  going  to  do  from  what  he  said.  In  special 
reference  to  this  Paul  argues  that  his  relation  to  Christ  and  God 
proves  that  he  is  true,  even  if  he  does  change  his  plans. 

17.  The  yea  yea  and  the  nay  nay.  One  of  the  many 
accusations  made  against  Paul  in  this  change  of  plans  was  that 
he  was  a  "yea  and  nay"  man.  It  implied  that  he  answered  ques- 
tions with  both  a  yes  and  a  no,  and  left  the  questioner  guessing 
as  to  what  his  intention  really  was;  his  word  couldn't  be  trusted. 

18.  As  God  is  faithful.  This  is  probably  not  an  asseveration, 
calling  God's  faithfulness  as  a  witness  to  Paul's  sincerity.  He 
grounds  his  own  sincerity  in  the  faithfulness  of  God,  and  he 
goes  on  to  show  that  because  he  is  identified  with  Christ  his 
truth  and  sincerity  are  identified  with  Christ's. 

19.  For  begins  the  explanation  of  what  he  means  in  verse  18 
by  linking  his  own  sincerity  to  God's.  God's  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
had  been  the  theme  of  the  three  evangelists,  Paul,  Silvanus 
(Silas)  and  Timothy,  when  they  labored  in  Corinth  for 
eighteen  months  (Acts' 18:5,  11),  and  Jesus  Christ  is  not  a  "yea 
and  nay"  man.    Yea  is  personified  in  him. 

20.  For.  Again  an  explanation  of  the  preceding  verss.  Yea 
is  personified  in  God's  Son,  because  He  has  proved  to  be  the 
affirmation  and  fulfillment  of  all  God's  promises.     He  is  God's 

194 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       1 122 

soever  be  the  promises  of  God,  in  him  is  the  yea: 
wherefore  also  through  him  is  the  Amen,  unto  the 

21.  glory  of  God  through  us.  Now  he  that  stablisheth  us 
with  you  ^  in  Christ,  and  anointed  us,  is  God;  ^  who 

22.  also  sealed  us,  and  gave  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit 
in  our  hearts. 

'  Gr.,  into.  *  Or,  seeing  that  he   both  sealed  us. 

yea  to  all  the  promises  God  has  made.  If  God's  yea  has  been 
the  theme  of  Paul's  preaching,  and  if  Paul  has  been  identified 
with  God's  yea,  how  can  his  own  promises  be  yea  and  nay. 
Through  him  is  the  Amen.  The  Amen  is  the  yes  of  assent  at 
the  close  of  the  prayer  or  the  doxology  in  public  worship  (i  Cor. 
14:16).  In  the  Revelation  (3:14)  the  "one  like  unto  a  son  of 
man"  calls  himself  the  Amen,  and  its  use  as  the  yea  of  assent  is 
indicated  in  Rev.  22:20,  and  elsewhere.  The  members  of  the 
Corinthian  Church  in  their  every  repetition  of  the  Amen  in  public 
worship  had  testified  to  their  belief  that  the  Son  of  God  whom 
Paul  preached  was  God's  yea,  the  incarnation  of  the  truth  and 
sincerity  of  a  promise-keeping  God.  Paul  cannot  put  in  any 
stronger  way  his  conception  of  the  inviolable  faithfulness  and 
sincerity  of  God. 

21.  Now.  Here  is  the  second  step  in  his  proof.  It  is  the 
assertion  that  God  has  identified  Paul  with  Christ  and  has  set 
the  seal  of  His  approval  upon  that  intimate  and  living  relation, 
in  Christ.  Stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ.  In  Christ 
is  one  of  Paul's  most  used  expressions.  It  defines  one  of  his 
most  characteristic  thoughts,  the  relation  of  intimacy,  of  identity, 
which  the  follower  of  Christ  has  with  his  Lord.  It  is  parallel 
to  Jesus'  metaphor,  "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches."  Some- 
thing like  seventy-five  times  in  Christ  is  found  in  Paul's  letters. 
Very  gracefully  he  includes  his  readers  in  this  relation  to  Christ. 
They  no  less  than  he  are  in  Christ.  This  relation  to  Christ  is 
not  only  intimate  but  it  is  sure,  indissoluble.  And  it  is  God  who 
makes  it  so;  He  stablisheth  it.  And  anointed  us.  The 
stablishing  is  continual;  it  is  always  going  on.  But  the  anoint- 
ing, the  seal  and  the  earnest  were  once  for  all.  He  was  anointed 
by  the  Spirit  for  service  as  Jesus  was  (Acts  10:38)  ;  he  was  sealed 
by  the  Spirit  as  Jesus  was  (Mk.  1:10-11)  ;  and  the  Spirit  in  his 
heart  was  given  him  as  an  earnest. 

22.  Sealed  us.  A  seal  guarantees  genuineness  and  proclaims 
ownership.  After  Jesus'  baptism  the  Spirit  descended  upon  Him 
and  a  voice  testified  to  the  seal:    'Thou  art  my  beloved  Son," 


I  .-23       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

23.  But  I  call  God  for  a  witness  upon  my  soul,  that 

24.  to  spare  you  I  forbare  to  come  unto  Corinth.     Not 


The  Spirit  was  the  seal  of  his  relationship  to  God.  He  was  God's 
Son.  So  Paul  looks  upon  the  Spirit  as  the  seal  that  marked 
him  as  God's  and  Christ's.  The  earnest  of  the  Spirit.  The 
earnest  is  the  part  payment  in  a  contract  or  bargain  which  is 
the  pledge  that  the  whole  will  be  paid  in  full.  So  it  is  both  a 
payment  and  a  pledge.  It  is  a  word  that  is  found  three  times 
in  Paul's  letters  (2  Cor.  1:22;  5:5;  Eph.  1:14)  and  nowhere 
else  in  the  New  Testament;  but  it  was  a  familiar  word  in  the 
business  world,  just  as  stahlish  and  seal  were  also  business  terms. 
Paul  thought  of  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  in  his  heart  as  the  first 
installment  of  God's  endless  giving,  and  as  the  pledge  and 
guaranty  that  all  God's  promises  would  be  fully  kept.  God  has 
made  absolutely  sure  Paul's  relation  as  Christ's  own,  by  the 
anointing,  the  seal,  and  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit. 

4.  Attested  by  the  facts — The  change  of  plan.    1:23 — 2:13. 

a.  Reasons  (for  the  change), 
(i)  To  spare  them;  vs.  23. 

(a)  Asseveration — I  call  God  for  a  witness. 
ib)  Explantion     (parenthetical)     of     the    authority    im- 
plied in  spare;  vs.  24. 

1.  Neg.    Not  as  lord  of  their  faith. 

2.  Pos.     But  as  partners  in  promoting  their  joy. 
(2)  To  spare  himself  sorrow;  2:1,  2. 

b.  Nature  (of  the  change)  from  a  visit  to  a  letter;  vs.  3. 
(i)  Purpose:  to  save  sorrow. 

(2)  Expected  outcome:  their  joy  equal  to  his. 

(3)  Character   {i.e.,  kind  of  letter),  heavy-hearted,  tearful; 

vs.  4. 

(4)  Reason  (for  such  a  letter) . 

{a)  Neg.    Not  to  cause  sorrow. 

{b)   Pos.    But  to  show  his  exceeding  love. 

c.  Result  (of  the  change)  which  justifies  it;  the  author  of  the 

sorrow  ("such  a  one,"  i.e.,  someone)  ;  vs.  $. 
(i)  Has  caused  sorrow. 

(a)  Neg.    Not  to  Paul  only. 

{b)   Pos.     But  to  them  all. 
(2)  Has  been  punished  enough;  vs.  6. 

{a)   Consequence:  forgiveness;  encouragement;  vs.  7. 

\b)  Reason:     More  might  engulf  him  in  sorrow. 

196 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         2:1 


that  we  have  lordship  over  your  faith,  but  are  helpers 
2.    I.  of  your  joy:  for  by  ^  faith  ye  stand.    ^  But  I  de- 

'  Or,   your   faith.  *  Some  ancient  authorities  read  For. 


(c)  End  (further  result) :     Public  confirmation  of  love ; 
vss.  8,  9. 
(3)  Has  been  forgiven  by  Paul;  vs.  10. 

{a)   Condition:     Provided  they  forgive  too. 
{b)   Reason:     For  their  sakes. 
(c)   Sphere:     Christ's  presence, 
(cf)  Purpose:     To  thwart  Satan's  plans;  vs.  11. 
d.  Effect  on  Paul — a  restless,  heavy  heart   (owing  to  the  de- 
lay) ;  vs.  13. 
(i)  Time:     When  he  came  to  Troas;  vs.  12. 

(2)  Severity:     Could  not  enter  an  open  door;  vs.  13. 

(3)  Ground    Titus'  delay. 

(4)  Extent:     Left  the  open  door  and  went  to  meet  Titus. 

23.  To  spare  you  I  forbare  to  come  unto  Corinth.    Now, 

Hsten  to  the  facts,  Paul  says.  If  a  man  has  good  and  sufficient 
reasons  for  changing  his  plans  he  is  not  fickle.  The  facts  of 
the  case  bear  witness  to  his  sincerity.  Instead  of  paying  a  visit 
to  Corinth,  as  the  Corinthian  church  had  expected  him  to  do,  he 
sent  a  letter.  Those  who  were  disloyal  in  the  church  made  this 
the  ground  for  harsh  criticism  of  Paul. 

There  are  two  very  simple  and  evident  explanations  of  his 
change  of  plans:  namely,  to  spare  them  and  to  spare  himself. 
(In  13:2  he  says,  ij  I  come  again  I  will  not  spare.  This  is  one 
of  the  important  phrases  in  the  evidence  that  chapters  10-13 
are  a  part  of  the  "lost  letter.") 

24.  The  abrupt  change  again  from  first  person  singular  to  first 
person  plural,  and  then  back  again  in  the  following  verse  is  to 
be  explained  as  one  of  Paul's  mannerisms.  It  is  impossible  to 
think  that  with  each  use  of  the  plural  he  includes  Timothy  and 
Silvanus,  or  others,  with  himself.  Lordship  over  your  faith. 
This  is  much  more  conciliatory  than  the  thirteenth  chapter.  Evi- 
dently the  word  spare  sounds  to  Paul,  after  he  has  said  it,  to 
imply  more  of  authority  and  lordship  over  his  readers  than  he 
intends.  He  hastens  to  qualify  it.  He  wishes  to  exercise  no 
tyranny  over  their  faith.  It  is  sorrow  and  mortification  he 
would  spare  them,  for  he  is  specially  interested  in  promoting 
their  joy.  As  to  their  faith,  they  now  stand  firmly  on  their  own 
feet.  By  faith  ye  stand  is  better  rendered  in  your  faith  ye 
stand.  (This  too  seems  in  strong  contrast  with  13:5,  "try  your 
own  selves  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith.") 

197 


212         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

termined  this  for  myself,  that  I  would  not  come 

2.  again  to  you  with  sorrow.  For  if  I  make  you  sorry, 
who  then  is  he  that  maketh  me  glad,  but  he  that  is 

3.  made  sorry  by  me?  And  I  wrote  this  very  thing, 
lest,  when  I  came,  I  should  have  sorrow  from  them 
of  whom  I  ought  to  rejoice;   having  confidence  in 

4.  you  all,  that  my  joy  is  the  joy  of  you  all.    For  out 

2:1.  There  should  of  course  be  no  paragraph  or  chapter  di- 
vision between  the  preceding  verse  and  this.  But  is  preferable 
to  the  marginal  reading  for.  This  is  his  second  reason  for  his 
change  of  plans.  And  further  would  be  better  than  but.  Again 
to  you  in  sorrow.  The  simple  and  very  evident  meaning  is 
that  he  had  made  them  one  visit  with  sorrow,  and  deliberately 
determined  not  to  make  another.  The  sorrow  seems  to  be  his 
own.  The  for  myself  indicates  this.  There  is  no  record  else- 
where of  this  visit  to  Corinth,  but  it  is  supposedly  the  second  of 
the  three  (13:1),  when  he  writes,  this  is  tJie  third  time  I  am 
coming  to  you. 

2.  For.  The  explanation  introduced  by  for  is,  in  our  English 
version,  a  little  incoherent.  It  is  the  incoherence  of  great  emotion. 
To  his  readers  it  was  perfectly  intelligible.  They  knew  what  he 
had  written  in  the  previous  letter.  The  explanation  is  of  the 
double  paradox  that  to  make  them  joyful  he  made  them  sorry, 
and  that  making  another  sorry  made  Paul  glad.  He  that  is 
made  sorry.  No  definite  person  is  referred  to  here.  The  per- 
sonal reference  begins  at  verse  5.  His  visit  and  his  letter  had 
both  caused  sorrow  to  himself  and  to  the  church.  But  the  sor- 
row had  resulted  in  repentance,  and  so,  at  last,  in  their  joy  and 
in  Paul's  joy.     The  end  had  justified  the  means. 

3.  I  wrote  this  very  thing.  This  is  a  reference  to  a  letter 
written  between  i  Corinthians  and  2  Corinthians,  which,  in  part, 
may  be  found  in  2  Cor.  10-13.  In  this  letter  he  had  written 
this  very  thing,  namely,  that  he  had  changed  his  plan  from  a  visit 
to  a  letter  in  order  to  spare  them  and  himself  the  sorrow  which 
a  visit  would  surely  cause.  It  seemed  to  him  better  to  write, 
and  he  had  told  them  why.  Having  confidence  in  you  alL 
Paul  knew  that  at  heart  they  and  he  were  one,  and  that  they 
rejoiced  in  the  same  spiritual  results  which  gave  him  joy.  He 
was  confident  that  in  the  end  they  would  be  found  mutually  glad 
because  of  the  outcome  of  the  trouble.  His  confidence  had 
proved  to  be  well  placed. 

4.  I  wrote  unto  you  with  many  tears.     It  had  been  no 

198 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         2:5 

of  much  affliction  and  anguish  of  heart  I  wrote  unto 
you  with  many  tears;  not  that  ye  should  be  made 
sorry,  but  that  ye  might  know  the  love  which  I  have 
more  abundantly  unto  you. 

But  if  any  hath  caused  sorrow,  he  hath  caused  sor- 
row not  to  me,  but  in  part   (that  I  press  not  too 


easy  task  to  write  them,  even  though  that  seemed  easier  and 
better  than  to  visit  them.  The  letter  cost  Paul  anguish  of  heart 
and  many  tears.  One  of  the  difficulties  in  finding  this  letter 
in  chapters  10-13,  is  the  difficulty  of  finding  the  tears  in  those 
chapters.  That  they  were  written  under  great  emotion,  and  even 
anguish  of  heart  is  evident,  but  hardly  tears.  Possibly  the  tears 
were  in  that  part  of  the  letter  which  is  lost.  The  cost  to  Paul 
bears  witness  that  his  purpose  wa^  not  to  cause  them  sorrow, 
but  in  the  end  to  show  how  much  he  loved  them. 

5.  If  any  hath  caused  sorrow.  No  name  is  mentioned,  but 
here  is  the  person  who  was  most  responsible  for  the  trouble. 
Who  or  what  he  was  there  is  no  means  of  determining.  He  cer- 
tainly was  not  the  offender  mentioned  in  i  Cor.  5:1-8.  His 
offense  was  in  part  at  least  personal  and  directed  toward  Paul. 
He  seems  to  have  defied  and  insulted  the  Apostle.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  it  began  in  a  defiance  of  Timothy,  Paul's  messenger 
(i  Cor.  16:10;  Acts  19:22)  ;  but  there  is  no  certain  evidence  that 
Timothy  actually  made  the  proposed  visit  of  i  Cor.  16:10.  Titus 
has  now  returned  from  Corinth  with  the  good  news  that  Paul's 
letter  had  proved  a  wise  substitute  for  a  visit.  The  offender 
had  been  summarily  punished  by  the  majority  in  the  church, 
and  the  punishment  had  resulted  in  his  penitence.  There  was 
a  possibility  that  the  punishment  might  now  go  too  far;  that 
even  the  majority  might  not  know  when  to  stop.  And  so  Paul 
urges  his  forgiveness  by  the  church,  announces  that  he  himself 
forgives  him  freely,  and  pleads  that  he  be  restored  and  en- 
couraged. Not  to  me.  Paul  declines  to  consider  it  any  longer 
as  a  personal  matter.  The  church  has  taken  it  into  its  own  hands 
and  has  made  it  its  own.  Paul  is  too  big  to  cherish  any  personal 
resentment.  In  part  to  you  all — that  is,  to  a  part  of  you  all,  to 
most  of  you.  He  adds,  parenthetically,  that  I  press  not  too 
heavily.  He  would  not  add  another  straw  to  the  burden  of 
punishment  upon  the  offender,  even  by  implying  that  every  one 
in  the  church  was  against  him.  It  was  only  a  part,  but  it  was 
the  majority,  as  he  states  in  the  next  verse. 

199 


2:6         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

6.  heavily)  to  you  all.   Sufficient  to  such  a  one  is  this 

7.  punishment  which  was  inflicted  by  ^  the  many;  so 
that  contrariwise  ye  should  -  rather  forgive  him  and 
comfort  him,  lest  by  any  means  such  a  one  should 

8.  be  swallowed  up  with  his  overmuch  sorrow.  Where- 
fore I  beseech  you  to  confirm  your  love  toward  him. 

9.  For  to  this  end  also  did  I  write,  that  I  might  know 
the  proof  of  you,  ^  whether  ye  are  obedient  in  all 

^  Gr.,  the  more.  -  Some  ancient  authorities  omit  rather. 

*  Some   ancient  authorities  read  whereby. 

6.  To  such  a  one.  The  offender,  of  course;  but  Paul  tact- 
fully and  with  real  delicacy  omits  his  name.  By  the  many. 
The  margin  suggests  the  more  accurate  reading,  the  more.  It 
was  a  majority  who  had  taken  his  punishment  in  hand.  Evi- 
dently there  was  at  least  a  small  minority.  But  there  is  no 
evidence  that  they  had  condoned  the  offender's  insults,  nor  that 
they  were  still  opposed  to  Paul.  Possibly  they  demanded  a 
severer  punishment  than  that  which  the  majority  had  fixed. 

7.  Ye  should  rather  forgive' him.  The  rather  should  prob- 
ably be  omitted,  as  the  margin  suggests.  He  has  been  punished 
enough;  now  forgive.  And  comfort.  As  in  the  introduction, 
so  here,  encourage  is  a  better  word  than  comfort.  It  was  not 
petting  that  the  offender  needed,  but  encouragement  to  take  up 
his  life  again  as  a  humble,  penitent,  forgiven  christian  man. 
Overmuch  sorrow.  His  penitence  is  genuine.  It  is  possible 
to  push  the  punishment  too  far  and  overwhelm  such  a  one  with 
sorrow. 

8.  Wherefore  I  beseech.  The  word  rendered  beseech  here 
is  the  word  rendered  comfort  above.  It  would  not  be  out  of 
place  to  do  as  Paul  did  and  in  our  translation  use  the  same 
word  for  both.  Wherefore  I  encourage  you  to  confirm  your  love 
toward  him.  The  expressions  of  love  to  him  ought  to  be  as 
public  and  as  unmistakable  as  the  expressions  of  disapproval  and 
condemnation.  Confirm  here  signifies  public  ratification.  The 
same  word  is  used  in  Gal.  3:15  of  a  covenant. 

9.  For  to  this  end  also  did  I  write.  Verse  9  is  a  paren- 
thetical explanation.  The  for,  as  often  with  Paul,  gives  an  ex- 
planation of  something  implied  but  not  expressed.  In  urging 
that  the  offender  from  now  on  should  be  loved,  not  punished, 
Paul  implies  that  the  object  of  his  severe  letter  has  been  accom- 
plished, for  one  of  the  objects  of  that  letter  was  to  test  their 

200 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       2:12 

10.  things.  But  to  whom  ye  forgive  anything,  I  forgive 
also:  for  what  I  also  have  forgiven,  if  I  have  forgiven 
anything,  for  your  sakes  have  I  forgiven  it  in  the 

11.  ^person  of  Christ;  that  no  advantage  may  be 
gained  over  us  by  Satan:  for  we  are  not  ignorant 
of  his  devices. 

12.  Now  when  I  came  to  Troas  for  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  when  a  door  was  opened  unto  me  in  the 

^  Or,    presence. 

loyalty  to  himself  and  their  willingness  to  follow  his  advice 
{to  obey)  in  everything.  They  have  proved  their  loyalty  and 
obedience.  Whether  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  suggestion  of  the 
margin,  whereby. 

10.  I  forgive  also.  This  is  the  third  effect  or  result  of  the 
change  from  a  visit  to  a  letter.  All  three  justify  the  change. 
The  church  has  been  made  sorry;  the  offender  has  been  ade- 
quately punished;  Paul  freely  forgives  him  for  their  sakes. 
The  offense  was  in  part  at  least  personal.  If  the  church  will 
forgive  the  offender,  Paul  will  cherish  no  grievance.  He  makes 
light  of  it  {ij  I  have  forgiven  anything)  but  the  evidence  all 
points  to  the  fact  that  it  was  a  most  grievous  insult.  It  took 
a  christian  spirit  to  forgive  it,  and  so  he  adds  in  the  presence  of 
Christ  (using  the  rendering  of  the  margin) .  Paul  lived  in  the 
presence  of  Christ;  he  practiced  the  presence  of  Christ.  He  felt 
Christ's  face  turned  toward  him.  His  eye  upon  him.  Remem- 
bering Christ's  forgiving  spirit  the  christian  of  course  forgives. 

11.  Satan — his  devices.  Paul  seems  to  see  Satan  still  skulk- 
ing around  this  church  trouble.  He  has  been  defeated  in  his 
main  purpose  by  the  summary  action  of  the  church  against  the 
offender.  He  is  nevertheless  plotting  to  get  some  advantage  out 
of  it  yet.  An  unforgiving  spirit  in  Paul  or  in  the  church  would 
be  greatly  to  Satan's  advantage.  With  something  of  a  playful 
touch  Paul  serves  notice  on  Satan  that  his  devices  are  known; 
he  is  watched.  Full  and  frank  forgiveness  now  thwarts  Satan 
once  more. 

12.  When  I  came  to  Troas.  Briefly  Paul  tells  the  effect 
that  this  change  from  a  visit  to  a  letter  had  upon  himself,  owing 
to  the  delay  which  was  necessary  in  getting  a  reply  to  his 
letter.  He  was  so  nervous  and  anxious  that  he  could  not  enter 
an  open  door  of  service  when  it  swung  wide  to  him  in  Troas. 

For  the  gospel  of  Christ.    After  writing  the  letter  Paul  left 

201 


2:i3       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

13.  Lord,  I  had  no  relief  for  my  spirit,  because  I  found 
not  Titus  my  brother:  but  taking  my  leave  of  them, 
I  went  forth  into  Macedonia. 

14.  But  thanks  be  unto  God,  which  always  leadeth 
us  in  triumph  in  Christ,  and  maketh  manifest  through 


Ephesus  and  went  north  to  Troas.  It  was  primarily  the  business 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ  which  took  him  there.  During  the 
three  years  spent  by  Paul  at  Ephesus  "all  they  which  dwelt  in 
Asia  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord"  (Acts  19:10).  Many  calls 
to  other  cities  must  have  come  to  him  in  such  an  extensive  cam- 
paign. This  was  one  of  them.  He  answered  this  the  more 
readily,  however,  because  it  led  him  toward  Titus,  who  was  re- 
turning from  Corinth  by  way  of  Macedonia  and  Troas.  A  door 
was  opened.  A  door  of  opportunity  for  gospel  ministry  in  the 
Lord.  The  figure  of  the  opened  door  is  found  in  i  Cor.  16:9  and 
Col.  4:3.  It  was  not  Paul's  habit  to  turn  from  an  open  door. 
That  he  did  decline  to  enter  this  door  is  proof  of  the  intensity 
of  his  restlessness. 

13.  I  had  no  relief  for  my  spirit.  He  had  hoped  that  Titus 
might  have  speeded  his  return  so  that  he  should  arrive  in  Troas 
when  Paul  did.  Because  Titus  did  not  come  Paul  had  no  heart 
for  his  work.  He  turned  away  from  the  open  door  and  crossed 
to  Macedonia,  the  sooner  to  meet  Titus  and  get  his  message. 
Somewhere  in  Macedonia,  probably  at  Philippi,  Paul  and  Titus 
met.  It  is  not  till  the  seventh  chapter  (7:6)  that  the  statement 
of  their  meeting  is  made.  An  exclamation  of  thanksgiving,  most 
characteristic  of  Paul,  interrupts  his  narrative  and  argument  in 
chapter  2  at  this  point,  implying  that  in  Macedonia  his  anxiety 
was  relieved  by  Titus'  arrival,  but  in  reality  furnishing  a  pic- 
turesque metaphor  which  is  a  digression,  a  conclusion,  and  a 
transition  to  his  next  subject. 

Conclusion:     God's  Triumphal   Procession    (a   burst    of    thanks- 
giving) ;  2:14-17. 

a.  Length:     Continuous  {always) ;  vs.  14. 

b.  Captive:     Paul. 

c.  Significance:     Making  known  everywhere  the  knowledge  of 

Christ. 

d.  Incense:     Offered  by  Christ  to  God;  vs.  15. 

e.  Spectators:     Those  being  saved;  those  perishing. 

/.  Effect:     (on   the   spectators  of   the   odor   of   the  incense) ; 
vs.  16. 

202 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       2:15 

15.    us  the  savour  of  his  knowledge  in  every  place.    For 
we  are  a  sweet  savour  of  Christ  unto  God,  in  them 


(i)   On  those  being  saved,  an  odor  of  life. 
(2)   On  those  perishing,  an  odor  of  death. 
g.  Meaning — (of  metaphor)  ;  vs.  17. 

(i)  The  honor  of  the  captive — no  one  is  equal  to  it. 
(2)  A  testimony  to  his  sincerity: 

(a)  No  adulterator  of  God's  Word; 

lb)  But  one  who  speaks  sincerely  as  in  God's  sight. 

14.  But  thanks  be  unto  God.  This  burst  of  thanksgiving  is 
very  characteristic  of  Paul.  He  does  not  finish  his  story,  telling 
where  and  when  he  found  Titus,  but  lets  this  ebullition  of  grati- 
tude imply  the  meeting  and  its  glad  result. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  in  Paul's  language  the  same  word 
is  used  for  grace  and  for  thanks.  In  English  we  speak  of  God's 
grace,  and  of  grace  at  table.  Grace  and  gratitude  are  twin 
sisters.  God's  gracious  giving  is  grace;  Paul's  gracious  receiving 
is  thanks.    The  words  are  identical. 

God  which  (who)  always  leadeth  us  in  triumph.  A  vivid 
metaphor  of  an  imperial  triumphal  procession.  The  returning 
victorious  general  brought  with  him  his  captives  to  be  led  in 
triumph  in  the  great  procession  through  the  streets  of  Rome. 
Incense  was  burned  along  the  route  and  its  fragrance  filled  the 
air.  Paul  had  never  seen  such  a  triumphal  parade  in  Rome.  He 
may  have  seen  similar  processions  elsewhere.  But  in  the  Roman 
empire  everyone  knew  what  the  triumphal  procession  was.  Paul 
does  not  carry  out  the  figure  with  accuracy  enough  to  make  it 
an  allegory,  but  there  is  no  mistaking  his  picture.  It  is  God's 
triumphal  procession.  Paul  is  his  captive.  Everywhere  he  is 
led  and  exhibited  as  God's  captive  in  Christ.  All  along  the  way 
there  rises  a  fragrance  of  incense.  Christ  is  offering  it  to  God. 
It  is  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  God  which  because  of 
Paul's  captivity  and  through  it  is  filling  the  world.  Its  odor 
reaches  all  the  spectators,  and  it  has  for  them  differing  effects. 
To  those  who  are  on  the  way  of  salvation  it  is  a  fragrance  of 
life,  whose  source  is  life,  whose  end  is  life.  But  to  those  who 
are  on  the  way  to  destruction  it  is  a  bad  odor,  an  odor  that  seems 
to  have  its  source  in  death  and  to  prophesy  the  end  of  death. 
Paul  glories  in  a  captivity  which  brings  such  results.  In  Christ. 
Not  only  Paul's  liberty,  honor,  activity  are  in  Christ,  but  his 
captivity.  All  that  he  was  or  had  or  did  he  conceived  of  as  in 
that  sphere  in  which  Christ  was  dominant  and  regnant.     So  this 

203 


2:i6       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

1 6.  that  are  being  saved,  and  in  them  that  are  perishing; 
to  the  one  a  savour  from  death  unto  death;  to  the 

17.  other  a  savour  from  life  unto  life.  And  who  is  suf- 
ficient for  these  things?  For  we  are  not  as  the  many, 
^corrupting  the  word  of  God:  but  as  of  sincerity, 

^  Or,   making  merchandise  of  the   Word   of   God. 

triumphal  procession  is  in  Christ.  His  knowledge,  i.e.,  the 
knowledge  of  Christ.  The  his  might  refer  to  God.  But  Paul's 
thought  is  always  that  knowledge  of  God  comes  through  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  (see  4:6). 

15.  We  are  a  sweet  savor.  Here  as  elsewhere  the  plurals 
we  and  us  must  have  their  personal  reference  to  Paul.  Only  in 
a  vague  way  do  they  embrace  other  apostles  or  Christian  evan- 
gelists. He  is  thinking  of  himself.  Because  he  is  the  captive, 
the  chief  exhibit  in  the  triumph,  he  can  be  said  to  be  the  cause 
of  the  incense  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  filling  the  world;  and 
Christ  is  offering  that  incense  to  God. 

16.  To  the  one  ...  to  the  other.  The  spectators  who 
witness  the  procession  are  all  those  to  whom  Paul  goes.  He 
divides  them  into  two  classes.  See  also  4:4.  They  are  those 
who  are  being  saved,  and  those  who  are  perishing.  They  are 
on  the  way  or  at  the  entrance,  facing  the  narrow  gate  or  the 
wide  gate  (Matt.  7:13).  The  appeal  to  them  of  the  gospel  in 
the  person  of  Paul  confirms  their  direction  and  destination.  The 
triumphal  procession  proves  to  be  the  crisis  of  their  lives.  This 
seems  to  be  Paul's  thought.  And  so,  while  rejoicing  in  his  cap- 
tivity, he  magnifies  the  mission  that  it  gives  him.  If  his  mis- 
sion means  so  much  to  the  world,  then  who  is  sufficient  for 
these  things.  The  expected  answer  is  not  no  one  is  sufficient, 
but  we  are  sufficient;  no  one  is  sufficient  in  himself,  but  we  are 
sufficient  in  Christ. 

17.  For  gives  the  explanation  of  the  implied  answer  to  his 
question;  we  are  sufficient,  for  we  are  not  as  the  many.  The 
many,  a  reference  to  the  troublesome  propagandists  at  Corinth, 
were  peddlers,  hucksters  of  the  Word  of  God,  retailing  it  for 
pay.  As  such  peddlers  were  apt  to  adulterate  their  wares  the 
word  is  translated  corrupting.  The  marginal  reading  is  prefer- 
able. No  huckster  could  be  sufficient  for  such  a  mission  as  Paul's. 
As  of  sincerity.  He  closes,  as  he  began,  with  sincerity  (1:12). 
He  multiplies  descriptive  words:  We  are  sufficient  for  these 
things  only  because  we  speak  out  of  absolute  sincerity;  we  speak 
as  those  whose  message  has  its  source  in  God — as  of  God;  we 

204 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       2:17 

but  as  of  God,  in  the  sight  of  God,  speak  we  in 
Christ. 

speak  as  those  who  stand  always  in  the  sight  of  God;  we  speak 
as  those  who  are  in  Christ. 

In  this  way,  with  striking  emphasis  and  vivid  imagery,  he 
closes  his  argument  about  his  sincerity  and  leads  to  the  larger 
subject  of  his  ministry. 


205 


3:i 


II.    Paul's  Ministry  of  the  New  Covenant; 
3:1—6:10 

Introduction:  His  Letters  of  Introdtcction ;  3:1-3 

3.    I.  Are  we  beginning  again  to  commend  ourselves? 
or  need  we,  as  do  some,  epistles  of  commendation  to 

Paul's  Ministry  of  the  New  Covenant 

Introduction:     Paul's  Letters  of  Introduction;  3:1-3. 

a.  Not  ordinary  credentials;  vs.  i. 

(i)  Neither  written  by  Paul  himself. 
(2)  Nor  by  others,  to  or  from  Corinth. 

b.  But  those  of  heart  and  life;  vs.  2. 

(i)   His  letters  to  the  Church  at  Corinth, 
(a)  Nature:  written  on  Paul's  heart. 
{h)  Legibility:  known  and  read  by  all  men. 
(2)  His  letters  from  the  Church  at  Corinth;  vs.  3. 
(a)  Author:     Christ. 
(6)  Amanuensis:     Paul, 
(c)   Instrument  of  vi^riting: 

(i)  Neg.    Not  pen  and  ink. 

(2)  Pos.    The  spirit  of  the  living  God. 
((f)  Tablets: 

(i)  Neg.     Not  stone. 

(2)   Pos     Human  hearts. 

It  is  impossible  for  Paul,  when  he  stops  to  think  of  the  mag- 
nitude and  importance  of  the  mission  that  God  has  entrusted 
to  him,  to  refrain  from  expressions  of  wonder  and  praise  and 
thanksgiving.  These  give  an  opening  to  those  not  in  sympathy 
with  him  for  accusations  of  boastfulness.  They  say  he  writes 
his  own  credentials.  He  is  very  sensitive  to  the  charge  and  par- 
ries their  thrust  whenever  he  feels  that  he  may  seem  to  have 
given  occasion  for  it.  Even  to  imply  that  he  is  sufficient  for  these 
things  gives  another  occasion,  and  besides  that  he  is  going  on 
to  talk  about  himself  and  his  ministry,  and  so  he  prefaces  his 
next  subject  with  these  very  tactful  words  about  letters  of  in- 
troduction. 

Peddlers,  who  make  merchandise  of  the  Word  of  God,  may 

206 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         3'-3 

2.  you  or  from  you?    Ye  are  our  epistle,  written  in  our 

3.  hearts,  known  and  read  of  all  men;  being  made  mani- 
fest that  ye  are  an  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by 
us,  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the 
living  God;  not  in  tables  of  stone,  but  in  tables 
that  are  hearts  of  flesh. 


need  letters  to  the  Church  at  Corinth  or,  when  they  leave,  let- 
ters from  them.  Paul  has  such  letters,  he  says,  and  they  are 
always  in  evidence.  His  letters  to  them  are  written  on  his  heart. 
Anyone  can  see  that  Corinth  is  written  there.  He  comes  to  them 
with  his  heart  open  to  them  to  read  his  love  for  them.  He  has 
also  letters  jrom  them.  Christ  wrote  the  letters,  using  Paul  as 
his  amanuensis.  They  are  the  hearts,  the  spirit-touched  lives 
of  the  members  of  the  church.  Away  from  Corinth,  if  any  one 
asks  him  for  his  credentials  he  refers  him  to  the  affectionate 
hearts  and  devoted  lives  of  the  Corinthians,  saying,  these  are 
my  letters  of  introduction. 

3:1  Are  we  beginning  again.  Paul  has  suffered  under  the 
taunt  that  he  wrote  his  own  letters  of  commendation.  He  fore- 
stalls another  such  insult  by  the  graceful  metaphor  that  follows. 

As  do  some.  It  is  not  necessary  to  find  in  the  some  the 
many  of  2:17,  or  the  false  teachers  or  Judaizers  who  are  the  chief 
opponents  of  Paul  at  Corinth.  It  may  be  that  he  has  in  mind 
a  special  group  who  came  to  Corinth  with  letters  and  who,  when 
they  left,  asked  for  letters.  It  was  a  usual  custom  then  as  now 
to  carry  letters  of  introduction,  and  this  may  be  merely  a  state- 
ment of  a  general  fact.  To  you  or  from  you.  Two  kinds  of 
letters  are  mentioned  here,  and  it  is  much  simpler  in  the  figure 
which  follows  to  think  that  Paul  still  has  the  two  kinds  of  letters 
in  mind,  than  to  think  that  he  mixes  his  metaphor  or  bungles  his 
figure.     He  too  has  letters  to  them  and  jrom  them. 

2.  Ye  are  our  epistle.  This  is  his  letter  to  them.  It  is  per- 
fectly legible.  Any  one  can  read  that  Corinth  is  written  on  his 
heart.    With  this  letter  he  comes  to  them. 

3.  Ye  are  an  epistle  of  Christ.  This  is  his  letter  jrom  them. 
If  any  one  asks  him  for  his  letter  from  Corinth  he  points  to  the 
church  and  its  devoted  members,  their  hearts  written  upon  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  under  Paul  as  amanuensis.  He  needs  no  other 
letter  of  commendation  than  that.  Here,  as  often  in  this  letter, 
Paul  parries  a  thrust  or  answers  an  insult  with  a  most  gracious, 
delicate  and  tactful  compliment. 

207 


3:4         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


I.    The  Character  of  the  Ministry;  3:4-18 

4.  And  such  confidence  have  we  through  Christ  to 

5.  Godward:  not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves,  to 


I.  The   Character  of  Paul's  Ministry   of  the  New   Covenant; 
3:4-18. 

a.   Its  sufficiency  has  its  source;  vs.  4. 
(i)  Neg.     Not  in  himself;  vs.  5. 
(2)  Pos.    But  in  God,  who  (vs.  6): 

(a)  Is  the  author  of  all  his  sufficiency; 
{b)  Has  made  him  sufficient  as  minister  of  a  new 
covenant, 
(i)  Neg.    Not  of  the  letter  (law,  death). 
(2)  Pos.    But  of  the  spirit  (promise,  life). 
h.   Its  glory  far  surpasses  that  of  the    old;  vs.  7. 
Proof:  The  comparative  glory  of  each, 
(i)  The  glory  of  the  old  ministry  is: 

(a)   Characterized  by   death,  letter,  stones,  condem- 
nation. 
(&)  Dazzling:   children  of  Israel  could  not  look  at 

Moses'  face, 
(c)  But  fading,    transient;  vs.  11. 
{d)  Not  glorious  at  all  by   comparison;  vs.  10. 
(e)  A  means. 
(2)  TTie  glory  of  the  new  ministry  is  (vs.  8) : 

(a)   Characterized  by  life,  spirit,  righteousness;  vs.  9. 
ib)  Much  more  brilliant, 
(c)   Abiding;  vs.  11. 
id)  Excelling  in   glory;  vs.  9. 
(e)  An  end,  a   sphere;  vs.  11. 
c.    Its  freedom  and  confidence  surpass  the  old;  vs.  12, 
Proof:  The  comparative  freedom  of  each. 
(i)   The  old,  lacking  in  confidence  (vs.  13): 

(a)  Illustrated  by  Moses  veiling  his  face. 

[b)  Illustrated  by  the  Synagogue  reading;  vs.  14. 
(2)  The   new,   a  spirit   of   great   boldness,  liberty;  vss. 

12,  17. 
(o)   Ground,  the  veil  is  taken  away;  vs.  16. 
(6)  Illustrated,   an  unveiled  look   at   the  glory   of 
God;  vs.  18. 

208 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         3:6 

account  anything  as  from  ourselves;  but  our  suffi- 
6.   ciency  is  from  God;  who  also  made  us  sufficient  as 


(i)  Manner,  looking  at  the  Lord,  who  mirrors 

God's  glory. 
(2)   Results,    gradual    transformation    into    the 

same  image. 

Paul  has  much  to  say  to  the  church  at  Corinth  about  his 
ministry.  The  subject,  begun  with  this  chapter,  continues,  in- 
cluding some  natural  digressions,  to  6:10.  What  he  says  first 
about  his  ministry  has  to  do  with  its  character;  with  the  source 
from  which  it  derives  its  power,  and  with  the  splendor  which 
marks  it  as  a  ministry  of  the  new  dispensation  in  contrast  with 
the  old.  The  emphasis  on  this  contrast  between  the  new  and 
the  old  is  doubtless  due  to  the  fact  that  Judaizers,  who  magni- 
fied the  old  covenant  and  sought  to  minimize  Paul  and  his  min- 
istry of  the  new,  had  done  much  effective  proselytizing  in  Corinth. 

Ministry  is  suggested  in  verse  3.  The  letter  written  by  Christ 
on  the  hearts  of  the  Corinthians  was  ministered  by  us.  Christ 
had  used  Paul's  ministry  to  write  it.  Thus  he  introduces  the  sub- 
ject on  which  he  has  so  much  to  say. 

4.  Such  confidence — confidence  that  he  needs  no  letters  be- 
cause his  work  speaks  for  itself.  But  it  is  a  confidence  that  is 
not  grounded  in  his  own  ability,  but  in  his  use  by  Christ  as  an 
amanuensis.  So  his  confidence  is  not  through  self-appreciation 
but  through  Christ.  It  is  also  to  God-ward.  The  idea  is  not 
that  his  confidence  is  in  God,  but  that  it  is  in  himself  and  his 
ministry  because  he  is  always  looking  toward  God,  is  always 
face  to  face  with  God,  and  feels  sure  of  God's  direction  and 
approval. 

5.  Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves.  This  is  the 
sufficient  of  2:16,  taken  up  again.  It  shows  that  the  answer  to 
his  question  there  was.  We  are  sufficient.  Here  he  explains  his 
sufficiency  as  God's  captive  making  Christ  known  to  the  world. 
It  is  grounded  in  no  sense  in  himself,  but  only  in  God  who  uses 
him. 

6.  Who  also  made  us  sufficient  as  ministers  of  a  new 
covenant.  The  also  turns  from  the  these  things  of  the  trium- 
phal procession  to  the  notable  and  unique  mission  of  Paul, 
minister  of  a  new  covenant.  For  this  great  and  responsible 
calling  also  God  makes  him  sufficient.  New  covenant  introduces 
the  contrast  with  the  old  covenant.  The  emphasis  is  on  new. 
It  is  new  not  merely  in  the  sense   of  more  recent,  but   in  the 

209 


3:6         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

sense  of  fresher  and  better  than  an  outworn  old.  For  the  word 
covenant  the  margin  suggests  the  alternative  testament.  Covenant 
is  the  better  word,  but  neither  is  adequate  to  the  meaning. 
Covenant  is  an  Old  Testament  word  used  repeatedly  for  that  close 
relationship  which  God  entered  into  with  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac, 
Jacob,  Moses,  but  especially  with  Abraham  (Gen.  6:i8;  15:18; 
17:2;  17:21;  Lev.  26:42;  Deut.  5:2).  It  was  an  arrangement  by 
which  God  promised  great  blessings  conditioned  only  on  obedi- 
ence. In  the  literal  sense  it  was  not  a  covenant  form  of  agree- 
ment between  equals.  It  was  a  conditional  promise.  It  was  a 
divine  arrangement. 

The  word  rendered  in  the  Old  Testament  covenant  came  be- 
tween the  Old  Testament  and  New  Testament  periods  to  have 
enlarged  meanings  of  special  application.  One  of  them,  in  the 
Greek  world,  was  will  or  testament,  where  it  defined  that  ar- 
rangement or  provision  which  a  man  made  for  his  children  and 
for  the  honor  and  continuity  of  his  family.  It  differed  in  many 
ways  from  a  modern  will.  In  this  sense  it  was  in  common  use 
when  Paul  wrote.  Something  of  this  later  meaning  is  in  Paul's 
mind  when  he  uses  covenant  (Gal.  3:15,  17),  but  its  Old  Testa- 
ment significance  predominates. 

The  covenant  with  Abraham  was  God's  arrangement  by  which 
Abraham  and  his  descendants  were  to  receive  promised  blessings 
conditioned  on  their  obedience.  It  was  confirmed  to  Moses  and 
the  children  of  Israel.  The  tables  of  stone  contained  the  law  of 
the  covenant  (Ex.  34:28).  The  ark  of  the  covenant  held  the 
tables  of  stone  (Ex.  40:20;  Deut.  31:25-26).  That  was  the  old 
arrangement  or  dispensation.  With  this  Paul  contrasts  what  he 
calls  the  new  covenant  of  which  he  was  a  minister.  God's  gra- 
cious promises  are  still  the  covenant.  But  in  the  new  covenant 
Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews  are  included,  and  Christ  takes  the  place 
of  the  old  Law. 

It  is  often  helpful  to  try  substituting  for  covenant  one  of  the 
other  words,  arrangement,  dispensation,  disposition,  or  even 
promise.    But  no  word  is  quite  adequate  to  the  concept. 

Paul's  contrast  is  not  between  the  two  covenants  or  dispensa- 
tions, but  between  the  ministry  of  the  two  covenants.  Moses  is 
the  representative  minister  of  the  old,  Paul  of  the  new.  He  does 
not  contrast  himself  with  Moses  to  the  disparagement  of  the 
latter  as  a  person,  but  only  in  their  representative  capacities  as 
ministers. 

Not  of  the  letter  but  of  the  spirit.  In  the  epistle  to  the 
Romans  (2:29;  7:6)  Paul  later  amplifies  this  contrast.  Letter 
is  the  written  Law  of  Moses  with  all  its  old  authority.  Paul 
knew  from   experience   how   it   killed   hope   and   faith   and   love 

210 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         3  7 

ministers  of  a  new  ^  covenant;  not  of  the  letter,  but  of 
the  spirit;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 
7.  life.  But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  ^  written,  and 
engraven  on  stones,  came  ^  with  glory,  so  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  could  not  look  stedfastly  upon  the  face 
of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  face;  which  glory  *  was 

^  Or,    testament.  ^  Gr.,  in  letters.  ^  Gr.,  in. 

*  Or,  was  being  done  away. 

(Rom.,  ch.  7).  Spirit  is  the  authority  and  power  of  Christ  in 
the  new  covenant,  which  inspires  and  makes  alive. 

7.  The  ministration  of  death.  That  is  the  ministry  of  the 
old  covenant — Moses'  ministry.  If  it  kills,  it  is  not  too  strong 
language  to  call  it  the  ministration  of  death.  It  is  better  to  read 
ministry  for  ministration,  as  in  4:1.  With  glory.  Here  begins 
the  comparison  of  glories,  the  glory  of  the  ministry  of  the  old 
covenant  with  that  of  the  new.  Glory  is  one  of  Paul's  most 
characteristic  words.  It  is  found  everywhere  in  his  writings. 
Reading  Paul's  epistles  one  is  fairly  sailing  on  a  sea  of  glory. 
The  word  is  found  eighteen  times  in  the  first  eight  chapters  of 
this  letter.  It  is  the  best  field  of  all  Paul's  letters  for  a  study 
of  the  word 

{Glory  is  of  course  entirely  unconnected  in  origin  or  meaning 
with  the  glorying  of  1:12,  14;  or  the  verb  glory  found  fourteen 
times  in  chapters  10-12.  It  is  a  pity  that  our  translators  could 
not  have  found  unrelated  English  equivalents  for  these  two  out- 
standing words  in  the  two  sections  of  the  letter.) 

As  in  English,  so  with  Paul,  glory  has  two  meanings.  The  one 
is  praise,  honor,  fame;  the  other  is  splendor.  In  1:20,  unto  the 
glory  of  God,  it  is  the  former — God's  honor.  Here  in  verse  7  it 
is  the  latter.  It  is  a  splendor  like  that  of  a  sunset  or  a  sunrise, 
only  it  is  figurative  and  Paul  applies  it  to  a  ministry,  to  a  man, 
to  Christ,  to  God.  The  splendor  of  God  is  all  the  goodness  and 
greatness  which  Paul  knows  as  God's  attributes.  It  is  therefore 
God's  character,  and  often  character,  or  splendid  character  would 
be  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  glory  when  appUed  to  God  or 
Christ  or  a  man  or  a  ministry.  The  glory  of  his  face.  In  the 
case  of  Moses  the  glory  of  God  wj.3  reflected  in  his  face  when 
he  descended  from  the  mount  (Ex.  34:29-35).  Paul  uses  this 
as  a  figurative  description  of  the  glory  of  Moses'  ministry.  So 
dazzling  was  the  glory  in  Moses'  face  when  he  came  from  God's 
presence  that  Aaron  and  the  people  were  afraid  to  come  near 
him  (Ex.  34:30).    Paul  says  they  coidd  not  look  stedfastly  upon 

211 


3:8         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

8.  passing  away:  how  shall  not  rather  the  ministration 

9.  of  the  spirit  be  with  glory?    ^  For  if  the  ministration 
of  condemnation  is  glory,  much  rather  doth  the  min- 

10.  istration  of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  For  verily 
that  which  hath  been  made  glorious  hath  not  been 
made  glorious  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory 

11.  that  surpasseth.  For  if  that  which  ^  passe th  away 
was  ^  with  glory,  much  more  that  which  remaineth 
is  in  glory. 

^  Many  ancient  authorities  read,  For  if  to  the  ministration  of  con- 
demnation there  is  glory.       ^  Or,  is  being  done  away.     ^  Gr,,  through. 

the  face  of  Moses.  But  that  glory  faded.  Moses  veiled  his  face 
after  speaking  with  the  people  until  he  again  entered  the  pres- 
ence of  God  (Ex.  34:33-35).  Paul  says  the  veil  was  to  hide  the 
fact  that  the  glory  faded,  or  to  prevent  the  fading  from  being 
seen  (13).  It  was,  nevertheless,  while  it  lasted,  a  dazzling  splen- 
dor, but  it  was  transient.  So  it  symboUzed  the  splendor  of 
Moses'  ministration. 

8.  The  outline  seeks  to  bring  out  the  comparisons  in  these 
verses.  Splendid  as  was  the  ministration  of  death,  that  of  the 
spirit  must  of  necessity  be  more  splendid. 

9.  Ministration  of  condemnation — another  characterization 
of  the  old  covenant.  Its  law  of  condemnation  led  to  death.  But 
the  righteousness  through  Christ  led  to  life.  So  the  new  is  called 
the  ministration  of  righteousness. 

10.  By  reason  of  the  glory  that  surpasseth.  When  the 
sun  rises  the  candle  light  that  served  to  pierce  the  darkness  and 
seemed  bright  then,  now  casts  a  shadow  in  the  sunshine.  So 
much  more  glorious  is  the  ministration  of  the  new  that  the  old 
seems  to  have  had  no  glory  at  all.  It  casts  a  shadow  in  the  light 
of  the  new. 

11.  Much  more  that  which  remaineth.  The  ministry  of 
Moses  and  the  law  was  temporary,  like  the  reflected  glory  in 
Moses'  face.  But  the  new  covenant  and  its  ministry  is  forever. 
A  continuing  glory  outshines  a  passing  glory. 

12.  Here  begins  the  third  feature  of  Paul's  ministry:  its  free- 
dom and  confidence  surpass  those  of  the  old.  This  too,  is  a  com- 
parison and  a  contrast.  Having  therefore  such  a  hope.  Paul 
has  not  previously  spoken  of  any  hope.  It  has  been  absolute 
assurance.  His  hope  is  nothing  uncertain,  but  a  confident  expec- 
tation that  the  splendor  of  the  ministry  of  the  new  covenant  is 

212 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       S'-M 


12.  Having  therefore  such  a  hope,  we  use  great  bold- 

13.  ness  of  speech,  and  are  not  as  Moses,  who  put  a 
veil  upon  his  face,  that  the  children  of  Israel  should 
not  look  stedfastly  ^  on  the  end  of  that  which  -  was 

14.  passing  away:  but  their  ^  minds  were  hardened:  for 
until  this  very  day  at  the  reading  of  the  old  "*  cove- 
nant the  same  veil  ^  remaineth  unlifted;  which  veil 

'  Or,  unto.  ^  Or,  was  being  done  away.  *  Gr.,  thoughts.  *  Or,  testament. 
*  Or,    remaineth,   it   not   being   revealed   that   it  is   done   away. 

an  abiding  glory.  We  use  great  boldness  of  speech.  Paul 
confesses  to  his  boldness.  He  is  unafraid  and  unashamed.  It  is 
his  certainty  about  his  ministry  and  its  surpassing  splendor  which 
makes  him  so.  It  is  an  evident  defense  of  his  outspoken  message 
and  his  assumption  of  authority  against  his  opponents,  the  Ju- 
daizers,  in  Corinth. 

13.  Not  as  Moses.  He  takes  up  again  the  figure.  It  is  not 
that  Moses  was  meek,  lacking  in  boldness,  but  that  it  was  nec- 
essary for  him  to  place  a  veil  between  himself  and  his  people. 
He  reflected  God's  glory  in  his  face,  but  he  could  not  come  with 
that  glory  directly  to  the  children  of  Israel.  They  could  not 
endure  it.  On  the  end  of  that  which  was  passing  away. 
That  is,  should  not  watch  the  fading  glory  fade,  till  it  vanished 
and  the  end  of  the  glory  came.  It  is  figurative  of  course.  How 
could  Moses  be  bold  if  he  knew  that  the  people  were  watching 
the  gradual  disappearance  of  the  evidence  that  he  had  been  face 
to  face  with  God. 

14.  But  their  minds  were  hardened.  Dulled,  or  blunted  is 
better  than  hardened.  Paul  carries  the  figure  from  Moses  and 
the  children  of  Israel  over  into  the  present,  including  all  the 
past  history,  and  says  that  this  veil  between  the  glory  of  God  in 
Moses'  face  and  the  Jews  has  always  remained.  When  Moses, 
i.e.,  the  Law,  is  read,  even  to-day,  the  veil  is  still  there.  Now  it 
is  on  the  readers'  hearts.  But  it  is  still  there.  At  the  reading 
of  the  old  covenant.  Only  here  in  the  New  Testament  is  old 
covenant  found.  The  marginal  reading  makes  it  Old  Testament, 
which  phrase  has  come  down  through  the  ages  for  our  use  as  the 
title  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  Paul  may  have  originated  it. 
Which  veil  is  done  away  in  Christ.  There  is  no  veil  on 
Christ's  face,  and  nothing  between  him  and  his  people,  and  he, 
too,  reflects  the  glory  of  God.  Therefore  all  who  are  in  Christ, 
in  the  realm  in  which  Christ  is  supreme,  see  with  unveiled  faces. 

213 


3:15       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

15.  is  done  away  in  Christ.    But  unto  this  day,  whenso- 

16.  ever  Moses  is  read,  a  veil  lieth  upon  their  heart.    But 
whensoever  ^  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  is 

17.  taken  away.  Now  the  Lord  is  the  Spirit:  and  where 

18.  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  ^/?ere  is  liberty.    But  we  all, 

^  Or,  a  man  shall  turn. 

Paul  changes  the  figure  insofar  as  to  put  Christ,  from  this  point 
on,  in  Moses'  place. 

15,  16.  The  thought  is  repeated  in  slightly  different  form. 
Whensoever  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord.  The  it  of  course  re- 
fers to  their  heart.  The  marginal  reading,  whensoever  a  man  shall 
turn  to  the  Lord,  is  simpler.  In  Ex.  34:34  the  story  of  Moses  and 
the  veil  closes  with  the  words:  "But  when  Moses  went  in  before 
the  Lord  ...  he  took  the  veil  off.  .  .  ."  The  phrase  is  so 
similar  to  this  that  it  is  probable  Paul  is  quoting  loosely  from 
the  story.  If  so,  it  is  possible  that  the  passage  should  read,  as 
a  quotation,  whensoever  he  (Moses)  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the 
veil  is  taken  away.  The  Lord  is  here,  however,  Christ.  Paul 
remembers  his  own  experience  at  Damascus  (Acts  22:13).  When 
a  man  turns  to  Christ  the  veil  that  kept  him  from  seeing  God's 
glory  in  the  face  of  Moses  is  taken  away.  In  4:6  he  speaks  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  no  veil 
there. 

17.  This  verse  is  parenthetical  but  important.  It  has  been 
interpreted  in  various  ways.  Probably  there  is  no  specific  refer- 
ence to  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  would  be  better  not  to  print  spirit 
with  a  capital.  Where  spirit  is  last  mentioned  (vss.  6,  8)  it  is 
in  contrast  with  letter.  So  here:  a  man  turns  from  Moses  to  the 
Lord;  he  turns  from  the  letter  to  the  spirit.  And  so  Paul  adds: 
Now  the  Lord  (Christ,  to  whom  he  turns)  is  the  spirit  (of  which 
I  spoke  above) :  and  where  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  (the  Christ 
spirit,  as  opposed  to  the  Moses  letter)  is,  there  is  liberty.  It  is 
one  of  Paul's  favorite  figures  of  speech  that  the  bondage  of  the 
law  is  exchanged  for  the  freedom  of  Christ  (Gal.  5:1;  Rom.  8:2 
and  often).  This  is  the  ground  of  the  liberty  or  boldness  of 
which  he  spoke  in  verse  12.  A  ministry  of  the  spirit  is  of  course 
a  ministry  of  liberty  and  confidence. 

18.  We  all  with  unveiled  face.  Often  Paul's  most  trans- 
cendent thoughts  are  found  in  a  place  very  subordinate  in  the 
outline  of  his  subject.  This  is  one  of  his  master  thoughts.  The 
all  shows  that  he  is  now  speaking  not  only  of  himself.  He  is 
putting  himself  with  all  Christians  in  contrast  to  the  children  of 

214 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         4:2 

with  unveiled  face  ^  reflecting  as  a  mirror  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  are  transformed  into  the  same  image 
from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  from  ^  the  Lord  the 
Spirit. 

2.    The  Conduct  of  the  Ministry;  4:1-6 

4.    I.  Therefore  seeing  we  have  this  ministry,  even  as 
2.    we  obtained  mercy,  we  faint  not:  but  we  have  re- 
nounced  the  hidden  things  of  shame,  not  walking 
in  craftiness,  nor  handling  the  word  of  God  deceit- 

^  Or,  beholding  as  in  a  mirror. 

*  Or,    the    Spirit    which   is    the    Lord. 

Israel — or  the  Jews.  For  us  there  is  no  veil.  It  is  taken  away 
in  Christ. 

Reflecting  as  a  mirror.  The  marginal  reading  is  more  ac- 
curate and  better.  It  carries  out  the  changed  figure.  If  the 
figure  had  been  consistent  from  the  beginning  the  text-reading 
would  be  preferable.  The  contrast  is  now  not  between  Paul  and 
Moses  as  ministers  of  two  covenants,  but  between  Christ  and 
Moses  as  reflecting  the  glory  of  God.  So  Paul  says,  The  splen- 
dor of  the  character  of  God  is  reflected  in  Christ  as  in  a  mirror. 
When  we  look  at  Christ  there  is  no  veil;  we  are  looking  at  the 
mirrored  glory  of  God.  Living  in  that  glory  we  are  gradually 
transformed  into  the  same  image,  Godlikeness,  Christlikeness. 
Christ  is  a  mirror.  In  Him  we  see  the  splendor  of  God's  char- 
acter. Our  gradual  transformation  follows.  The  glory  of  the 
Lord,  i.e.,  the  glory  of  Christ;  but  because  he  is  a  mirror  it  is 
the  reflected  glory  of  God.  This  is  one  of  Paul's  glory  passages 
in  which  to  substitute  for  glory,  splendor  of  character,  helps  the 
interpretation.  From  glory  to  glory.  There  is  no  fading 
glory  here.  It  is  a  process  of  transformation.  There  are  always 
heights  of  character  still  to  be  gained.  There  is  never  a  time 
when  we  all  have  not  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Even  as  from  the  Lord  the  spirit;  i.e.,  as  is  inevitable 
when  the  glory  comes  from  the  Lord  the  spirit.  The  text-reading 
is  to  be  preferred  to  the  marginal  suggestion.  Paul  is  simply 
laying  the  emphasis  again  on  the  Lord  (Christ)  the  spirit  as 
contrasted  with  Moses  the  letter.  From  Moses  the  letter  it  was 
a  decreasing  not  an  increasing  glory. 

215 


4:2         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2.  The    Conduct    of    Paul's    Ministry    of    the    New    Covenant; 
4:1-6. 

a.  Its  persistence — he  faints  not;  vs.  i. 

(i)  Incentive:    his  freedom   and  confidence    (therefore). 
(2)   Incentive:    the   mercy   involved   in   God's   choice   of 
him. 

b.  Its    frankness, — repudiation    of    all    secret    methods    of 

which  one  ought  to  be  ashamed;  vs.  2. 
(i)  Manner,  Neg. 

(a)  No  practice  of  cunning. 

(b)  No   tricks    (corruption)    of   God's   Word. 

(2)  Manner,  Pos.  commending  himself   to  every  man's 
conscience, 
(a)  Means:   throwing  light  on  the  truth. 
ib)   Check:  in  the  sight  of  God. 

c.  Its  apparent  failure    {i.e.,  obscurity,   veiling)  ;  vs.  3. 

(i)   Condition:    Provided   it   has   failed   of   illumination. 
(2)   Explanation:   Its  failure  is  in  his  hearers  who  are 
being    lost;  vs.  4. 
(a)  Their  unfortunate  state — blind  men. 
(i)   Figure:   Blind  in  their  minds. 

(2)  Agent:  The  God  of  this  age. 

(3)  Effect:    Unbelief. 

(4)  Result:    The  "illumination"  does   not   light 

up. 
(6)   Proof:    (that  they  must  be  mentally   blind), 
(i)   Paul  has  preached  not  self  but  Christ;  vs.  5. 

(2)  Christ    became    Paul's    illumination,    giving 

the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of    God;  vs.  6. 

(3)  Therefore:     if    the    illumination    does    not 

light  up  it  must  be  the  fault  of  blinded 
minds,   not   of  the  illumination. 

4:1.  Therefore.  Because  of  the  liberty  and  confidence  he  has 
as  a  minister  of  the  new  covenant. 

This  next  short  paragraph  of  the  letter  tells  of  the  conduct  of 
Paul's  ministry.  It  says  three  things  about  it:  It  is  persistent; 
it  is  open  and  frank;  its  apparent  failure  is  a  failure  only  with 
blinded  minds. 

This  ministry.  Paul  uses  the  same  word  here  that  he  uses 
in  3:7,  8,  9.  It  is  rendered  in  those  verses  ministration.  Uni- 
formity would  render  them  all  by  the  word  ministry,  as  here. 
He  is  on  the  same  subject  as  in  the  precedmg  chapter;  it  is  his 
ministry  of  the  new  covenant. 

216 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         4:3 

fully;   but  by  the  manifestation  of  the  truth  com- 
mending ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the 
3.    sight  of  God.     But  and  if  our  gospel  is  veiled,  it  is 

Even  as  we  obtained  mercy.  Paul  thought  of  his  own  con- 
version and  of  his  choice  for  special  ministry  as  being  specific 
acts  of  God's  mercy  (i  Cor.  7:25;  see  also,  i  Tim.  1:13,  16). 
With  Paul  mercy  is  the  outreaching  of  God's  heart  to  help  in 
the  presence  of  the  sin  or  the  misery  or  the  need  of  His  chil- 
dren. It  is  compassion.  In  God's  mercy  to  him  Paul  sees  both  a 
reason  for  great  humility  and  an  incentive  to  courage  and  per- 
sistence. In  view  of  it  he  faints  not;  does  not  lose  courage; 
does  not  flag  in  his  zeal. 

2.  In  the  background  of  Paul's  thought  are  two  things:  the 
accusations  of  fickleness  or  untrustworthiness  made  against  him- 
self; and  the  false  methods  and  untruthfulness  of  the  Judaizers. 
Both  are  responsible  for  this  verse,  but  it  is  difficult  to  separate 
the  two  influences. 

He  makes  a  negative  and  a  positive  statement  of  the  open- 
ne?s  and  frankness  of  the  conduct  of  his  ministry. 

Renounced  the  hidden  things  of  shame.  He  has  repudi- 
ated all  secret  or  tricky  methods  of  which  a  man  ought  to  be 
ashamed.  He  specifies  two  ways  in  which  such  methods  find 
expression:  not  walking  in  craftiness.  Craftiness  is  the  word 
used  of  those  who  attempted  to  catch  Jesus  in  His  words  (Lk. 
20:23).  Jesus  perceived  their  craftiness.  It  is  the  opposite  of 
straightforwardness.  Walking  is  applied  to  his  whole  life,  in- 
cluding his  speech.  That  is  the  first  way.  The  second  has  to  do 
with  his  interpretation  of  God's  Word:  Nor  handling  the  Word 
of  God  deceitfully.  One  of  the  remarkable  things  about  Paul's 
use  of  Scripture  is  that  he  is  so  free  from  the  methods  of  the 
scribes  in  whose  school  he  was  trained.  Only  here  and  there  do 
we  find  any  evidence  of  that  training.  There  is  no  juggling  with 
words  and  meanings.  Here  he  says  that  it  is  one  of  his  prin- 
ciples of  ministry  to  be  fair  in  his  methods  of  interpretation  of 
Scripture.  (This  is  a  specially  appropriate  verse  for  Bible 
teachers.)  Having  put  his  principles  twice  in  the  negative  form, 
he  puts  them  third  in  the  positive,  and  says  that  he  tries  to 
commend  his  interpretation  of  the  truth  to  every  kind  of  con- 
science, as  if  always  in  the  presence  of  God.  Every  man's 
conscience   is   literally   every   conscience    of   mankind. 

3.  Verses  3  to  6  speak  of  the  apparent  failure,  at  times,  of 
his  ministry.  If  it  ever  is  veiled,  like  Moses'  ministry,  it  is  the 
fault  not  of  the  ministry  nor  of  the  gospel.    There  is  no  veil  over 

217 


4:4         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

4.  veiled  in  them  that  are  perishing:  in  whom  the  god 
of  this  ^  world  hath  blinded  the  ^  minds  of  the  un- 
believing, ^  that  the  *  light  of  the  gospel  of  the  glory 
of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  not  dawn 

5.  up07i   them.     For   we   preach   not   ourselves,   but 

1  Or,  age.  2  Qj-^  thoughts. 

3  Or,   that  they  should  not  see  the  light-  .  .  .  image  of  God. 

*  Gr.,  illumination. 

that.  Its  glory  is  undimmed.  The  fault  Ues  in  the  blindness  of 
those  on  whom  the  glory  shines. 

If  our  gospel  is  veiled.  Paul's  ministry  did  have  its  fail- 
ures. The  light  was  so  brilliant  and  beautiful  to  him  that  he 
found  it  difficult  to  understand  why  it  was  not  the  same  to 
every  one.     But  there  were  some  who  did  not  see. 

In  them  that  are  perishing.  It  is  the  same  phrase  that 
was  used  in  2:15  of  the  spectators  of  the  triumphal  procession. 
They  are  the  unbelieving. 

4.  The  God  of  this  age.  Age  is  better  than  world,  though  the 
meaning  is  not  different.  Only  here  in  the  New  Testament  is 
this  phrase  found — the  God  of  this  age.  But  the  prince  of  this 
world  is  found  in  Jn.  12:31;  14:30;  16:11.  The  reference  is  to 
Satan.  Paul  uses  age  more  frequently  than  world  in  referring  to 
the  realm  of  evil  over  which  Satan  has  authority.  Once  (Eph. 
2:2)  he  uses  the  two  words  together.  Age  has  in  it  the  time 
element,  which  is  not  so  prominent  in  world.  Satan  has  made 
the  minds  of  the  unbelieving  blind,  and  they  cannot  see.  That 
the  light  of  the  gospel  .  .  .  should  not  dawn.  The  alterna- 
tive reading  is  better:  that  they  should  not  see  the  illumination. 
Upon  Paul  on  the  road  to  Damascus  God  "turned  on  the  light." 
Paul  thought  of  it  as  a  brilliant  illumination.  It  was  like  turning 
on  the  electric  illumination  at  a  great  exposition.  Paul's  min- 
istry consisted  after  that  in  turning  on  the  illumination  for 
others.  He  calls  it  the  illumination  of  the  good  news  {gospel) 
of  the  glory  of  Christ  wlw  is  the  image  of  God.  It  is  very  much 
the  same  thought  as  in  3:18.  The  splendor  of  the  character  of 
Christ,  which  is  the  reflected  splendor  of  God,  is  the  illumina- 
tion. In  his  gospel  ministry  Paul  simply  tries  to  turn  on  that 
light.  If  there  are  any  who  cannot  see  it,  it  is  because  they  are 
blind. 

5.  For  we  preach  not  ourselves.  The  for  gives  the  proof 
that  they  must  be  blind.  If  he  had  preached  himself  there  would 
have  been  no  illumination.  But  his  whole  message  had  been  and 
is  Christ  Jesus  as   Lord.     He  has  been  accused  of  preaching 

218 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         47 

Christ  Jesus  as  Lord,  and  ourselves  as  your  ^  servants 

6.  2  for  Jesus'  sake.  Seeing  it  is  God,  that  said.  Light 
shall  shine  out  of  darkness,  who  shined  in  our  hearts, 
to  give  the  ^  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

3.    The  Limitations  of  the  Ministry;  4:7 — 5:12 

7.  But  we  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that 
the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  power  may  be  of  God, 

^  Gr.,    bondservants. 

^  Some  ancient  authorities  read  through  Jesus.        '  Gr.,  illumination. 

himself,  because  he  claimed  so  much  for  his  ministry.  He  does 
preach  himself  to  this  extent,  he  is  their  slave  for  Jesus'  sake. 
Servant  and  bondservant  are  euphemisms  of  translation.  Slave  is 
the  word  Paul  uses. 

6.  Seeing  it  is  God.  A  further  explanation  or  proof  that  only 
blindness  can  fail  to  see  the  illumination.  It  is  a  further  and 
more  specific  reference  to  his  personal  experience  on  the  road 
to  Damascus  (Acts  9:3;  22:6;  26:13).  Till  that  time  he  had  not 
seen  the  light.  But  the  same  God  who,  at  the  creation,  said, 
Let  there  he  light,  lighted  up  Paul's  life;  and  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ  (as  in  a  mirror,  3:18)  he  saw  the  illumination  of  the 
splendor  of  the  character  of  God.  It  is  always  God  who  says, 
let  there  be  light.  It  is  God,  through  Paul,  who,  when  Christ  is 
preached,  turns  on  the  illumination  of  his  own  glory. 

Light  shall  shine  out  of  darkness — a  paraphrase  of  Genesis 
1:3,  Let  there  be  light. 

Who  shined  in  our  hearts.  Paul's  continual  use  of  the 
plural  must  not  obscure  his  very  personal  references.  First  his 
own  heart  received  the  illumination,  and  now  it  is  his  ministry 
to  be  God's  agent  in   bringing  the  illumination  to  other  hearts. 

In  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  contrast  between  the 
veiled  face  of  Moses  and  the  unveiled  face  of  Christ  is  still  in 
Paul's  mind.  In  Christ's  face  he  sees  the  splendor  of  God's 
character. 

3.     The   Limitations   of   Paul's   Ministry    of   the   New   Covenant 
because  of  his  Body;  4:7 — 5:12. 
a.   The  Nature:  A  cheap  and  fragile  jar;  vs.  7. 

Reason:    That   there    may   be    no   mistake    about    the 
source  of  power. 

219 


4:7         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

b.  The  all  but  unbearable  trouble  it  brings;  vs.  8. 

(i)   Frequency:    Continual. 

(2)  Characteristics:     (Figure    changes    to    contest;    war 
or  games.) 

(a)  Hard  pressed — but  not  crushed. 

(b)  At  a  loss — but  not  utterly  at  a  loss. 

(c)  Pursued — but  not  abandoned  in  the  flight;  vs.  9. 

(d)  Struck  down — but  not  killed. 

c.  The  continuous  burden  it  imposes;  vs.  10. 

(i)  Nature:    Like   carrying   about   the   daily   killing    of 
Jesus. 

(2)  Explanation:    Always    handed    over    to    death    for 

Jesus'  sake;  vs.  11. 

(3)  Purpose:  To  make  known  Jesus'  life. 

(4)  Motive   for  enduring:    Jesus'  sake. 

(5)  Result  (immediate)   life  in  them;   death  in  himself; 

vs.  12. 

(6)  Inspiration:   Hope  of  a  resurrection. 

(a)  Ground:  The  Psalmist's  spirit  of  faith;  vs.  13. 

(b)  Assurance:  Jesus'  resurrection;  vs.  14. 

(c)  Satisfaction:   Presentation  with  you. 

(7)  Motive   (a  second)    for  enduring:   The  good  of  the 

Corinthians. 

(a)  End:  Thanksgiving  abounding;  vs.  15. 

(b)  Effect:  Encouragement  of  Paul;  vs.  16. 

(8)  Result    (progressive   and   final) :    An   eternal   weight 

of  glory;  vs.  17. 

(a)  Process:   Renewal  of  inner  man  through  decay 

of  outer. 

(b)  Condition:   Fixed  attention;  vs.  18. 

(i)  Neg.    Not  on  the  things  that  are  seen. 
(2)  Pos.     But  on  the  unseen. 

Reason:     One     is     temporal,    the     other 
eternal. 

d.  The  change  of  bodies  which  it  necessitates;  vs.  i. 
(i)  The  character  of  the  change. 

(a)  From  a  tent  on  earth  to  an  edifice  in  heaven. 

(b)  From  temporal  to  eternal. 

(2)  The  natural   attitude   toward  the   change:    frequent 
sighing;  vs.  2. 
(a)  Reason:  The  desire  to  put  the  heavenly  on  over 
{i.e.,  to  be  changed  at  Christ's  coming) . 
Condition:    Provided    that    we    are    to    be 
found  clothed,  not  naked;  vs.  3. 

220 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         4:8 

8.  and  not  from  ourselves;  we  are  pressed  on  every  side, 
yet  not  straitened;  perplexed,  yet  not  unto  despair; 


{b)  Reason:  The  depression  that  the  dread  of  dying 
brings;  vs.  4. 

(3)  God's  attitude  toward  the  change:   It  is  best;  vs.  5. 
(a)   Reason:  He  fashioned  us  with  this  in  view. 
(6)   Guarantee:     He  gave  the  Spirit  as  earnest. 

(4)  The  consequent  attitude  of  Paul  toward  the  change 

and  toward  life  in  view  of   it;  vs.  6. 
(a)  He  tries  to  keep  up  courage   always;  vss.  7,  8. 
Ground:  Knowing  that: 
(i)  At  home  in  the  body  is  absence  from  the 

Lord. 
(2)  To  be  with  the  Lord  is  preferable. 
(6)  He  tries  to  be  ambitious  to  do  what  is  pleas- 
ing to  Christ;  vs.  9. 
(i)  Incentive:    The    judgment    seat    of  Christ; 

vs.  10. 
(2)   Result  in   Paul's  ministry: 

(a)  Continued    attempt   to    persuade  men; 

vs.   II. 

(i)  Encouragement:    God   sees  clearly. 
(2)  Confidence:  Others  see  clearly  too. 
(6)   Continued  offer  to  them  (vs.  12): 

(i)  Neg.     Not  self -written  credentials. 
(2)  Pos.     But   resources   for   glorying. 

7.  Beginning  with  verse  7  Paul  speaks  of  the  limitations  laid 
upon  his  ministry  because  of  his  physical  body,  which  he  calls 
an  earthen  vessel.  After  speaking  of  the  nature  of  the  body,  and 
the  troubles  which  it  undergoes,  and  the  continuous  burden  which 
it  imposes  upon  himself  and  his  ministry,  he  indulges  in  a  natural 
and  ingenuous  digression.  The  thought  of  his  physical  body  and 
the  rough  use  it  has  had  and  the  disabilities  it  suffers  leads  to 
the  thought  of  the  expected  loss  of  that  body  and  of  the  new 
body  for  which  it  will  be  exchanged.  With  the  use  of  very 
striking  figures  (5:1-12)  Paul  expresses  his  hope  that  he  may 
not  need  to  die,  but  that  the  coming  of  Christ  will  bring  to  him 
his  new  heavenly  body  which  can  be  put  on  over  the  outworn 
physical  body.  Nevertheless  he  is  ready  to  accept  whatever  the 
Lord  has  in  store  for  him,  whether  death  or  translation. 

Just  where  the  digression  ends  it  is  difficult  to  say,  for  it  moves 
smoothly  into  his  next  thought.     In  5:18  and  6:3-4  he  is  again 

221 


4:9         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

9.    pursued,  yet  not  ^forsaken;  smitten  down,  yet  not 

10.    destroyed;   always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the 

2  dying  of  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  may  be 

iQr,   left   behind.  2  Gr.,  putting  to  death. 

writing  of  his  ministry,  and  it  is  perhaps  best  to  place  the  para- 
graph division  between  verses  12  and  13. 

We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels.  Again  the 
plural  for  the  singular.  Paul  is  thinking  of  his  own  body  and 
his  personal  sufferings.  By  this  treasure  is  meant  his  ministry, 
but  it  is  his  ministry  as  pictured  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  a 
ministry  of  illumination — of  turning  on  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  Treasures 
of  money  or  jewels  were  often  kept  in  earthenware  jars,  and  the 
use  of  the  word  treasure  for  his  glorious  ministry  leads  to  the 
use  of  earthen  vessel  for  himself.  The  jar  made  of  clay  was  both 
cheap  and  fragile,  rather  a  poor  receptacle  for  treasure.  Any 
human  body  is  an  unworthy  receptacle  for  so  glorious  a  min- 
istry. And  Paul's  body,  racked  and  wrecked  by  all  it  had  suf- 
fered (11:23-27),  seemed  to  him  especially  unworthy.  That  he 
has  chiefly  his  own  body  and  its  limitations  in  mind  is  shown  by 
his  reference  to  his  physical  body  in  5:1-10;  but  it  is  his  whole 
personal  presence  of  which  he  uses  the  figure  earthen  vessel.  His 
outward  appearance  seems  physically  not  to  have  been  very  pre- 
possessing (10:1,  10),  and  his  thorn  in  the  flesh  (12:7)  and  his 
many  hardships  and  sufferings  had  not  made  it  more  so. 

The  power.  There  was  no  doubt  about  the  results  of  Paul's 
ministry.  They  had  been  evidences  of  power.  The  frailty  of  his 
body  made  it  all  the  more  evident  that  the  source  of  the  power 
was  not  in  himself  but  in  God. 

8-10.  With  four  antitheses,  vigorous  and  in  poetic  form,  Paul 
characterizes  the  all  but  unendurable  trouble  which  the  limita- 
tions of  his  frail  body  bring  to  him.  But  he  changes  completely 
his  figure.  He  is  a  master  of  the  mixed,  or  changed  metaphor. 
No  longer  is  he  an  earthen  vessel  but  a  hard  pressed  soldier. 
The  figures  are  partly  applicable  to  an  athlete  in  the  games,  and 
Paul  may  have  both  athlete  and  soldier  in  mind. 

In  everything, — 
Pressed  hard — but  not  in  hopeless  straits. 
At  a  loss — but  not  utterly  at  a  loss. 
Pursued — but  not  left  to  the  mercy  of  pursuer. 
Struck  down — but  not  put  out. 

222 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       4:13 

11.  manifested  in  our  body.  For  we  which  live  are  al- 
way  delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the 
life  also  of  Jesus  may  be  manifested  in  our  mortal 

12.  flesh.    So  then  death  worketh  in  us,  but  life  in  you. 

13.  But  having  the  same  spirit  of  faith,  according  to  that 
which   is  written,   I  believed,   and   therefore  did  I 


lo-ii.  Verse  11  repeats  the  thought  of  10  and  explains  it. 

The  dying  of  Jesus,  i.e.,  the  killing  of  Jesus.  The  marginal 
putting  to  death  is  better.  Very  seldom,  perhaps  only  six  or 
eight  times  outside  of  these  two  verses,  does  Paul  use  the  name 
Jesus  without  another  title,  Christ  or  Lord.  It  is  the  narrative 
use  in  the  gospels;  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  unconsciously 
Paul  adopts  the  use  of  the  narrative  name,  because  he  is  refer- 
ring to  the  story  of  Jesus'  life  as  he  had  often  told  it.  Paul's 
life  was  one  long  series  of  deaths.  This  is  "hyperbole,  but  11:23-27 
shows  how  much  truth  there  was  in  the  figure.  As  his  sufferings 
and  deaths  are  all  in  Jesus'  service  and  for  Jesus'  sake,  he  has 
no  hesitancy  in  saying  that  it  is  the  putting  to  death  of  Jesus 
which  is  the  burden  his  body  always  imposes  upon  him.  He 
identifies  himself  with  Jesus  and  his  sufferings,  here  and  else- 
where (i  Cor.  15:31;  Rom.  8:36;  Phil.  3:10;  Col.  1:24).  And 
just  as  Jesus'  sufferings  and  death  had  as  their  purpose  life,  so 
Paul  thinks  of  his  suffering  as  serving  the  purpose  of  making 
known,  manifesting,  the  Ufe  which  Jesus  lived  and  which  He 
gave.     And  that  of  course  was  Paul's  ministry. 

12.  Death  worketh  in  us  but  life  in  you.  Eventually  this 
always  being  put  to  death  would  result  to  Paul  in  the  actual 
death  of  his  body.  He  knew  the  progress  of  its  working.  But 
as  long  as  spiritual  life  was  working  correspondingly  in  the  Corin- 
thians he  was  content.  Of  course  the  same  kind  of  life  was 
working  in  Paul  too — spiritual  life.  But  he  uses  the  paradox  to 
show  their  life  is  dependent  on  his  death. 

13.  Spirit  of  faith.  This  introduces  his  hope  of  resurrection. 
In  his  life  of  dying  he  finds  inspiration  from  his  faith  in  God's 
power  to  raise  him  up. 

That  which  is  written.  The  quotation  is  from  Psalm  116:10. 
Paul  quotes  accurately  from  the  Greek  version  of  the  Psalm. 
Our  English  version  of  Psalm  116  is  from  the  Hebrew  and  varies 
from  this.  The  emphasis  is  on  believing.  Like  the  Psalmist  who 
spoke  because  he  believed,  Paul  is  encouraged  to  continue  his 
ministry  because  of  his  faith  that  resurrection  is  stronger  than 
death.     He  quotes,  and  then  applies  the  quotation  to  himself. 

223 


4:14       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

speak;  we  also  believe,  and  therefore  also  we  speak; 

14.  knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  ^  the  Lord  Jesus 
shall  raise  up  us  also  with  Jesus,  and  shall  present 

15.  us  with  you.  For  all  things  are  for  your  sakes,  that 
the  grace,  being  multiplied  through  ^  the  many,  may 
cause  the  thanksgiving  to  abound  unto  the  glory 
of  God. 

^  Some  ancient  authorities  omit  the  Lord.  ^  Gr.,  the  more. 


14.  Knowing.  This  explains  his  believing,  or  gives  the  ground 
for  it.  The  believing  and  the  knowing  are  practically  the  same. 
Christ  Jesus  had  abolished  death  (2  Tim.  1:10),  and  so,  forget- 
ting death,  Paul  derives  his  encouragement  from  the  knowledge 
that  the  God  who  raised  Jesus  will  not  leave  the  followers  of 
Jesus  dead. 

With  Jesus.  That  is,  with  the  same  power  that  raised  Jesus, 
and  so  associated  in  Jesus'  resurrection.  Paul  seems  to  be  uncer- 
tain as  to  his  future.  Once  (i  Thess.  4:17)  he  did  not  expect 
to  die.  He  expected  the  coming  of  the  Lord  before  the  coming 
of  death.  But  here,  and  below  (5:1-10),  he  shows  his  expecta- 
tion of  death.  His  near  approach  to  death  (1:8)  was  not  easy 
to  forget. 

Shall  present  us  with  you.  His  readers,  in  whom  life  is 
working,  and  he  himself,  in  whom  death  is  working,  are  to  be  all 
together  at  the  presentation.  He  does  not  say  at  what  or  to  what 
they  shall  be  presented.  In  Rom.  14:10  Paul  uses  the  same  word 
in  its  reflexive  sense:  we  shall  all  stand  {present  ourselves)  be- 
fore the  judgment  seat  of  God.  In  2  Cor.  11:2  and  in  Eph.  5:27 
the  presentation  is  of  the  church  as  a  bride  to  Christ.  In  the 
former  Paul  would  present  the  church  to  Christ;  in  the  latter 
Christ  presents  it  to  Himself.  This  is  the  probable  meaning  here, 
only,  it  is  God  who  is  to  present  them  all  to  Christ. 

15.  For  introduces  another  motive  for  enduring  his  life  of 
dying.  Not  only  is  it  all  for  Jesus'  sake  (vs.  11),  but  for  the 
Corinthians'  sake  also.  And  these  motives  in  Paul's  mind  always 
include  another.  He  mentioned  it  in  1:10-11.  The  more  he 
suffers,  the  more  God's  grace  is  made  known,  and  consequently 
the  more  thanksgivings  will  be  offered  to  God.  Anything  that 
causes  thanksgiving  to  God  is  to  Paul  worth  all  it  costs. 

In  grace  and  thanksgiving  there  is  a  play  on  words.  See  note 
on  2:14. 

224 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       4:18 

16.  Wherefore  we  faint  not;  but  though  our  outward 
man  is  decaying,  yet  our  inward  man  is  renewed  day 

17.  by  day.     For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  for  the 
moment,  worketh  for  us  more  and  more  exceedingly 

18.  an  eternal  weight  of  glory;  while  we  look  not  at  the 


16.  Wherefore.  Here  is  his  conclusion.  He  ends  as  he  began 
(4:1)  we  faint  not.  The  wherefore  covers  in  its  reference  all 
that  he  has  said  about  his  hope  and  inspiration  (vs.  13-iS)  but 
it  is  particularly  the  thought  of  verse  15,  that  all  his  sufferings  are 
for  the  sake  of  others,  and  multiply  thanksgivings  to  God,  that 
has  its  sequence  in  wherefore  we  never  lose  courage. 

Then  he  adds  what  the  real  result  is  to  himself.  In  verse  12  he 
told  the  immediate  result  of  his  continuous  burden,  life  working 
in  them,  death  in  him,  i.e.,  in  his  body.  Here  he  gives  the  greater 
result  to  himself,  an  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Outward  man.  A  reference  to  his  physical  body,  in  contrast 
to  the  inward  man,  which  is  his  real  self,  his  spirit  life.  Out- 
ward man  is  found  only  here  in  the  New  Testament;  but  inward 
man  is  found  in  Rom.  7:22;  Eph.  3:16.  Though  my  physical 
self,  the  earthen  vessel,  is  fast  going  to  pieces,  my  real  self  makes 
new  growth  every  day. 

17.  For  gives  another  explanation  of  what  he  means.  The 
contrasts  are  vivid  and  emphatic.  Affliction  works  out  glory. 
Heavy  as  his  afflictions  seem  they  are  a  very  light  weight  when 
compared  with  the  heavy  weight  of  glory.  Unending  as  the  af- 
flictions seem  they  are  momentary  as  compared  with  the  eternity 
of  glory. 

Weight  of  glory.  Here  again  glory  is  best  interpreted  by 
splendor  of  character,  Godlikeness  or  Christlikeness.  Compare 
Heb.  2:10,  where  glory  is  the  destination  toward  which  God  is 
bringing  his  sons.  Undoubtedly  Paul's  eye  is  fixed  on  the  future 
and  the  things  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him,  which 
eye  saw  not,  and  ear  heard  not  (i  Cor.  2:9).  But  this  weight  of 
glory  is  not  all  a  distant  future  hope;  it  is  a  continuous  present 
process  of  growth.  Day  by  day  it  is  going  on.  The  end  is  not 
yet,  but  mrore  and  more  exceedingly  the  affliction  worketh  the 
glory.     See  Phil.  3:12-14. 

18.  While  we  look.  Just  as  in  3:18  the  transformation  comes 
by  beholding  as  in  a  mirror  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  so  here  the 
only  condition  laid  upon  Paul  by  himself  is  to  keep  his  attention 
fixed  on  the  things  which  are  not  physical,  visible  and  temporary, 
but  spiritual,  unseen,  eternal;  not  affliction  and  body,  but  glory 

225 


5:i         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not 
seen :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but 
the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal. 
5.    I.  For  we  know  that  if  the  earthly  house  of  our 
^  tabernacle  be  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  from 

"  Or,    bodily    frame. 

and  spirit.  The  affliction  will  bring  about  the  glory  if  he  keeps 
his  eyes  in  the  right  direction.  It  is  Paul's  philosophy  of  life 
and  suffering  so  far  as  he  himself  is  concerned.  He  says  very 
little  anywhere  about  his  conception  of  the  future  life.  It  is 
found  in  such  poetic  references  as  2  Cor.  5:6;  i  Cor.  13:12; 
Phil.  1:23.    Evidently  he  hoped  to  keep  on  growing  in  glory. 

5:1  For.  The  word  eternal  (4:17,  18)  and  its  rather  vague 
reference  to  the  future  life  leads  Paul  off  onto  a  short  digression. 
It  has  nothing  immediately  to  do  with  his  ministry,  but  it  lets 
us  into  his  heart.  No  matter  how  much  limitation  his  body 
caused  his  ministry  he  did  not  want  to  lose  it  by  death;  he  did 
not  want  to  die.  The  greatness  of  Paul's  character  is  enhanced 
by  this  ingenuous  expression  of  his  fear  and  hope.  Although  he 
knew  that  his  light  affliction  was  but  for  a  moment,  he  did  not 
look  forward  with  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  its  end,  if  the  end 
meant  death.  The  for  adds  an  explanation  to  what  is  implied  in 
for  the  moment  (4:17). 

The  earthly  house  of  our  tabernacle.  Our  house  on  earth 
which  is  a  tent  is  a  better  rendering.  The  reference  is  to  the 
physical  body.  The  passage  should  be  studied  with  i  Cor, 
15:35-58  in  mind. 

Be  dissolved.  This  rendering  obscures  the  figure.  Tents  are 
not  dissolved.  Taken  down  is  the  correct  translation.  Possibly 
it  is  as  strong  a  word  as  demolish.  A  tent  might  be  blown  down 
by  a  storm. 

Paul's  thought  is  this:  My  present  body  in  which  I  live  is 
only  a  tent.  Soon  it  will  be  taken  down.  Then  I  shall  have  a 
permanent  edifice,  a  spiritual  body  to  live  in  (see  i  Cor,  15:44), 
But  will  there  be  a  period  between  the  two  residences  when  I 
shall  be  without  any  body?  I  often  sigh  when  I  think  about  it, 
for  I  should  so  much  prefer  not  to  die,  but  to  have  my  new  per- 
manent body,  at  Christ's  coming,  put  on  over  my  physical  body 
and  absorb  it,  so  that  there  may  be  no  period  when  I  am  without 
a  body.  Nevertheless,  God  knows  best,  and  I  am  perfectly  will- 
ing to  accept  whatever  He  has  in  store  for  me. 

A  building  from  God.    Not  a  tent  but  an  edifice,  a  perma- 

226 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         5:4 


God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal,  in  the 

2.  heavens.    For  verily  in  this  we  groan,  longing  to  be 
clothed  upon  with  our  habitation   which  is  from 

3.  heaven:  if  so  be  that  being  clothed  we  shall  not  be 

4.  found  naked.    For  indeed  we  that  are  in  this  ^  taber- 

^  Or,    bodily  frame. 


nent  dwelling,  not  made  by  human  hands,  but  God-given.  Paul 
thinks  of  himself  as  living  in  his  body.  He  will  always  need  a 
body  of  some  sort  in  which  to  live. 

Eternal,  in  the  heavens.  There  will  never  be  the  need  of 
another  change  of  residence.  The  new  body  will  be  permanent 
because  spiritual.  In  the  heavens  is  the  figurative  way  of  refer- 
ring to  the  spiritual  life  after  death.  It  is  a  figurative  contrast 
with  on  the  earth.    There  is  no  reference  to  heaven  as  a  place. 

2.  In  this  we  groan.     In  this  tent-body  we  keep  sighing. 
Longing  to  be  clothed  upon.    This  is  the  explanation  of  the 

frequent  sighing.  Paul  longs  for  that  expected  change  which  will 
come  with  the  return  of  Christ,  when  those  who  are  living  will 
get  their  spiritual  body  at  once,  without  the  necessity  of  the 
death  of  the  physical  body  (i  Thess.  4:17).  He  mixes  his  meta- 
phors again,  but  his  thought  is  all  the  more  luminous.  He 
thinks  of  the  new  body  as  a  dwelling,  not  one  into  which  he 
shall  enter,  but  one  which  like  an  overcoat  could  be  put  on 
over  his  tent-body.    That  is  the  force  of  clothed  upon. 

Which  is  from  heaven  is  equivalent  to  the  eternal  in  the 
heavens  of  verse  i. 

3.  If  so  be.  This  verse  is  parenthetical.  Paul's  meaning  is 
not  perfectly  clear.  Naked  of  course  means  without  either  a 
tent-body  or  an  edifice-body,  without  either  the  garment  of  a 
physical  body  or  the  overgarment  of  the  spiritual.  But  when  is 
he  to  be  found?  The  simplest  meaning  seems  to  be,  provided 
that,  or  if  only,  we  shall  be  found  with  a  body  when  Christ 
comes,  not  without  a  body,  i.e.,  be  found  by  Christ's  coming 
still  alive.  If  he  had  put  off  his  tent-body  he  could  not  put  the 
new  body  on  over,  could  not  be  clothed  upon.  So  verse  3  be- 
comes merely  the  parenthetical  statement,  provided  only  that  we 
are  allowed  to  live  till  Christ  comes.  The  text  should  then  read, 
if  so  be  that,  because  we  are  clothed,  we  shall  not  be  found 
naked. 

4.  For.  As  often  with  Paul  the  for  introduces  an  explanation 
that  is  a  confirmation  of  what  he  has  just  said.  He  repeats  his 
thought,  and  makes  it  simpler.     See  4:10-11. 

Do  groan,  being  burdened.     There  is  a  slight  difference  in 
2.2J 


5:5         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

nacle  do  groan,  ^  being  burdened ;  not  for  that  we 
would  be  unclothed,  but  that  we  would  be  clothed 
upon,  that  what  is  mortal  may  be  swallowed  up 
5.  of  life.  Now  he  that  wrought  us  for  this  very- 
thing  is  God,  who  gave  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the 

*  Or,  being  burdened,  in  that  we  would  not  be  unclothed,  but  would 
be  clothed  upon. 


the  reason  given  for  his  groaning  or  sighing.  In  verse  2  it  was 
a  longing  to  have  the  new  body  put  on  over  the  old;  here  it  is 
a  burden  of  depression  because  of  the  fear  that  it  may  not  be 
possible.  Not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed — clothed 
upon.  The  alternative  reading  of  the  margin  is  better — burdened 
because  we  do  not  wish  to  be  unclothed  (lose  our  tent-body  by 
death)  but  to  be  clothed  upon  (have  our  edifice-body  put  on 
over  the  tent-body). 

Mortal  may  be  swallowed  up  of  life.  In  that  way  the 
tent-body  which  is  mortal  would  be  absorbed  by  the  spiritual 
body  which  is  eternal  and  which  never  dies.  There  would  be  no 
death,  and  no  period  when  the  tenant  of  the  bodies  would  be 
houseless,  naked. 

5.  Now.  But  would  be  preferable.  There  is  a  distinct  antith- 
esis. Paul  has  been  speaking  of  his  natural  attitude  toward 
the  change,  now  he  turns  to  God's  attitude  and  his  own  con- 
sequent attitude. 

For  this  very  thing.  For  what  thing?  Paul  does  not  make 
it  plain  and  there  is  great  difference  of  opinion.  But,  as  the 
whole  paragraph  thus  far  has  been  about  the  change  of  bodies, 
it  seems  most  natural  to  take  "this  very  thing"  as  referring  to 
that  change.  It  is  a  part  of  God's  plan  for  us,  Paul  says.  He 
fashioned  us  for  this  change.  Life  in  the  spirit  body  is  his 
destiny  for  us.  We  can  leave  it  to  him  whether  we  get  there 
through  the  taking  down  of  the  tent  or  by  putting  the  edifice 
on  over  the  tent. 

Who  gave  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit.  God  can  be 
trusted  to  do  what  is  best,  for  He  has  already  given  us  in  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit  a  part  of  His  promised  blessings  and  a  pledge 
of  all  that  is  to  follow.  Earnest  as  a  business  term  is  that  part 
of  a  purchase  or  contract  price  which  is  paid  down  as  a  part 
payment  and  as  a  pledge  that  the  whole  will  be  paid.  The 
Spirit  is  God's  earnest — is  "both  the  foretaste  and  the  pledge  of 
future  blessedness." 

228 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         5^9 

6.  Spirit.      Being   therefore   always   of   good   courage, 
and  knowing   that,  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the 

7.  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord  (for  we  walk  by 

8.  faith,  not  by  ^  sight) ;  we  are  of  good  courage,  I  say, 
and  are  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body, 

9.  and  to  be  at  home  with  the  Lord.    Wherefore  also 

^  Gr.,    appearance. 

6.  Therefore.  This  is  the  conclusion.  Paul's  natural  attitude 
toward  the  change  is  one  of  sighing.  God's  attitude  is  that  it 
is  best.  Therefore  Paul's  consequent  attitude  is  one  of  good 
courage  and  eagerness  to  accept  whatever  God  has  in  store  for 
him. 

At  home  in  the  body  .  .  .  absent  from  the  Lord.  Only 
here  in  the  New  Testament  are  these  phrases  found.  One  is 
used  of  a  person  who  stays  at  home,  does  not  travel;  the  other 
of  one  who  leaves  his  home  to  travel  in  other  places.  They  are 
vivid  figures  as  Paul  uses  them.  While  I  am  a  stay-at-home  in 
my  tent-body,  he  says,  I  am  an  absentee  from  home  with  Christ. 
To  die  meant  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ  (Phil.  1:23).  Then, 
lest  his  readers  misunderstand  him,  he  adds  parenthetically 
verse  7.  Did  not  his  close  relation  to  Christ,  even  in  his  tent- 
body,  make  him  at  home  with  Christ? 

7.  For  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight.  He  is  not  now  at 
home  with  Christ,  because  his  relation  is  one  of  faith,  not  of 
sight.  But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come  (i  Cor.  13:10-12) 
he  shall  see  face  to  face  and  shall  know  even  as  also  he  has  been 
known.  That  will  be  at  home.  The  rendering  sight  is  better 
than  appearance,  though  the  latter  is  more  literal — we  walk  by 
faith  not  by  form. 

8.  The  sentence  begun  in  verse  6  is  not  finished.  If  it  had 
been  finished  grammatically  verse  8  would  have  begun,  we  are 
willing  to  be  absent,  i.e.,  to  die.  The  parenthesis  (vs.  7)  inter- 
rupts his  sentence,  and  he  begins  again  at  verse  8. 

Are  willing  rather — deem  it  better  to  die  in  order  to  be  with 
Christ.  To  die  is  gain  (Phil.  1:21).  Nothing  is  said  about  any 
spiritual  body,  and  apparently  Paul  means  to  say  that  it  is  better 
to  be  at  home  with  Christ,  even  though  he  has  no  body,  neither 
tent  nor  edifice,  but  is  a  naked  spirit  waiting  for  his  new  body 
to  be  given  him  when  Christ  comes  again.  There  is  no  emphasis 
on  that,  however.  The  emphasis  is  on  the  fact  that  he  is  ready 
for  anything  that  God  thinks  best. 

9.  Wherefore  also  we  make  it  our  aim.     This  is  the  sec- 

229 


5:io       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

we  ^  make  it  our  aim,  whether  at  home  or  absent, 

10.    to  be  well-pleasing  unto  him.     For  we  must  all  be 

made  manifest  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ; 

that  each  one  may  receive  the  things  done  -  in  the 

^  Gr.,    are    ambitious.  ^  Gr.,    through, 

ond  way,  wherefore  also,  in  which  his  consequent  attitude  finds 
expression.  Not  only  does  he  keep  up  courage,  but  he  tries  to 
be  ambitioiis  (better  than  make  it  our  aim)  to  be  well-pleasing 
to  Christ.  Paul's  use  of  tense  is  perhaps  rendered  best  by  in- 
serting the  word  try. 

Whether  at  home  or  absent.  Supply  body  from  the  con- 
text above:  whether  at  home  in  the  body  or  absent  from  the 
body;  whether  at  His  coming  the  Lord  shall  find  him  still  living 
in  his  tent-body  or  having  struck  his  tent.  But  the  emphasis  is 
on  the  last  clause;  no  matter  what  happens  to  his  body,  to  be 
well-pleasing  unto  Him  is  his  lasting  ambition. 

lo.  For  introduces  the  explanation  of  Paul's  ambition  to  be 
well-pleasing  to  the  Lord,  now,  in  the  body.  The  bodily  experi- 
ence is  necessary  to  the  heavenly.  The  body  has  that  much  to 
its  credit  at  any  rate,  no  matter  how  fragile  a  vessel  it  is,  it 
lends  the  condition  which  makes  possible  the  heavenly  experience. 
Paul  cannot  get  the  latter  without  the  former. 

We  must  all  be  made  manifest.  He  is  not  speaking  of  a 
general  judgment.  We  all  are  Christians,  with  a  hope  of  glory. 
It  is  not  merely  an  appearance  before  the  judgment  seat  which 
is  a  necessity  for  all,  but  that  disclosure  or  manifestation  of  each 
man's  character  which  Christ's  judgment  seat  will  assure. 

The  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  In  Rom.  14:10  Paul  speaks 
of  the  judgment  seat  of  God.  The  raised  platform  on  which  was 
the  seat  of  the  presiding  officer  at  any  trial,  military  or  civil, 
was  known  as  the  Bema,  which  is  usually  rendered  judgment 
seat.     In  the  presence  of  Christ  we  all  shall  be  made  manifest. 

That  each  one  may  receive.  The  end  or  purpose  of  the 
manifesting  is  the  getting  of  that  which  is  one's  own.  Receive  is 
not  merely  get,  but  get  back  that  which  is  one's  own.  Each  one, 
figuratively,  gets  back  the  things  done  in  the  body,  or  liter- 
ally, the  things  through  the  body,  i.e.,  the  body  has  been  the 
agent  through  which  the  experience  or  character  comes  which 
one  gets  back,  as  it  were,  before  Christ's  Bema. 

According  to  what  he  has  done.  Not  merely  done,  but 
tried  to  do,  practiced,  been  busy  with. 

Whether  good  or  bad — bad  in  the  sense  of  cheap — whether 

230 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       5:12 


body,  according  to  what  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be 
good  or  bad. 

11.  Knowing  therefore  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men,  but  we  are  made  manifest  unto  God; 
and  I  hope  that  we  are  made  manifest  also  in  your 

12.  consciences.  We  are  not  again  commending  ourselves 
unto  you,  but  speak  as  giving  you  occasion  of  glory- 

worth  while  or  worUiless.  The  body  is  of  real  importance  after 
all  if  It  IS  the  agent  of  that  character  which  the  Christian  gets 
back  before  Christ's  judgment  seat. 

11.  Knowing  therefore.  With  verses  11  and  12  Paul  seems 
to  come  back  again  to  the  main  track  of  his  thought  after  tak- 
mg  the  side-track  at  verse  i.  These  are  transition  verses.  The 
therefore  might  be  called  a  resumptive  therefore,  by  which  he 
resumes  his  former  line  of  thought.  He  has  not  forgotten  that 
he  was  talking  about  his  ministry.  We  get  the  word  again  in 
verse  18. 

In  the  outline  it  seems  best  to  include  these  two  verses  with 
what  precedes,  making  them  a  conclusion  in  which  he  says  that 
the  effect  of  this  attitude  toward  life  and  death  and  God's  will, 
is  to  keep  him  true  (a)  to  his  attempt  to  convince  men  of  his 
mmistry  and  its  gospel,  and  (b)  to  offer  them  resources  of  glory- 
ing on  his  behalf. 

The  fear  of  the  Lord.  The  awe,  the  reverent  fear  which 
comes  from  the  thought  of  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ  and  its 
meaning. 

We  persuade  men  of  the  sincerity  and  reality  of  our  min- 
istry. The  context  shows  that  he  does  not  use  persuade  in  an 
evangelistic  sense,  but  in  reference  to  his  own  ministry.  And 
he  adds,  but  to  God  we  have  been  and  continue  to  be  thorougJdy 
understood  {made  manifest).  It  is  the  same  word  he  used  in  verse 
10,  for  our  manifestation  before  Christ's  judgment  seat. 

And  I  hope  (see  1:13)  that  also  to  you  in  your  inner  con- 
sciousness of  what  is  right  and  true  I  have  been  and  continue 
to  be  thoroughly  understood   (see  4:2). 

12.  We  are  not  again  commending  ourselves.  How  sen- 
sitive Paul  was  to  the  accusations  made  against  him  of  com- 
mending himself  is  shown  by  his  repeated  references  to  it,  and 
by  his  use  of  the  word  again  (3:1).  In  this  epistle  the  word 
rendered  commend  is  found  nine  times.  It  is  found,  with  vary- 
ing meanings,  only  seven  times  in  all  the  rest  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    As   he   is   beginning   again   after   his   short   digression   to 

231 


5:i3       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

ing  on  our  behalf,  that  ye  may  have  wherewith  to 
answer  them  that  glory  in  appearance,  and  not  in 
heart. 

4.    The  Secret  of  the  Ministry;  5:13 — 6:10 

13.  For  whether  we  ^  are  beside  ourselves,  it  is  unto 

14.  God;  or  whether  we  are  of  sober  mind,  it  is  unto 

^  Or,   were. 

speak  of  his  ministry,  he  feels  compelled  to  say  once  more  that 
he  does  it  in  no  spirit  of  boasting.  Then  he  adds  that  what  he 
does  say  about  his  ministry  offers  the  loyal  Corinthians  ample 
opportunity  and  resources  to  do  the  commending  for  him  if 
they  wish. 

To  answer  them  that  glory  in  appearance.  A  reference 
to  his  opponents,  probably  Judaizers,  in  Corinth,  who  boasted 
of  external  things,  religious  observances,  ancestral  privilege  and 
the  like  (11:18,  21-23).  The  word  appearance  is  literally  face. 
Face  and  heart  are  contrasted,  externals,  with  genuine  inner 
worth.  What  Paul  says  of  himself  and  his  ministry  will  furnish 
his  readers,  he  says  ingenuously  and  with  a  dry  humor,  with  a 
base  of  supplies  {occasion)  from  which  they  can  on  his  behalf 
out-glory  those  whose  glorying  is  only  in  externals. 

4.  The  Secret   of  Paul's  Ministry    of   the  New    Covenant — Self- 
Devotion;  vs.  13-16. 
a.   Its  constraining  power:   Love  of  Christ;  vs.  14. 

(i)  Its    Manifestation,    for    God,    for    the    Corinthians, 
vs.  13. 

(2)  Its  explanation:   Christ's  death  for   all;  vs.  15. 
(fl)  Immediate   consequence,   all    died. 

lb)  End  in  view:   Life,  which  shall  be: 
(i)  Neg.     Not   selfish, 

(2)   Pos.   but   devoted   to   Christ  who   died   for 
them. 

(3)  Its  effect  on  Paul's  attitude  toward  men  in  Christ; 

vs.  16. 
(o)  He   sees   anyone  in   Christ  as  a   new   creation; 
vs.   17. 
(i)  Explanation  (Neg.)     He  does  not  think  of 
him  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  flesh. 

232 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       5^13 

(2)   Explanation  (Pos.)  but  as  in  Christ,  whom 
he  thinks  of  as  spirit,  not  flesh. 
(b)  He  sees  everything  become  new. 

b.  Its  fundamental  purpose:  Reconciliation  to  God;  vs.  18, 
(i)  Source:  God. 

(2)  Reason:    Paul's   own   reconciliation  to  God. 

(3)  Content:    God   in    Christ   reconciling    the    world   to 

Himself;  vs    19. 

(a)  Manner    (Neg.) — No    calculation    of    transgres- 

sions, 

(b)  Means    (Pos.)    but   the    message    of    reconcilia- 

tion in  us. 

c.  Its  outward  expression:   A  spokesman  for  God;   vs.  20. 
(i)   In  his  plea  for  reconciliation. 

(a)  Authority:    Christ's  representative. 

(b)  Inducement   offered:    God   made   Christ   to   be 

sin  for  us;  vs.  21. 
End:   That  we  might  become  God's  righteous- 
ness. 

(2)  In   his   exhortation   to    the    Corinthians   not   to   re- 

ceive God's  grace  in  vain;  vs.  i. 

(a)  Authority:    Working  with  God. 

(b)  Argument:    Do  it  now;  vs.  2. 
Illustration:  Scriptural  (Is.  49:8). 

(3)  In  his  life,  in  every  way  commending  God's  min- 

ister; vs.  4. 
(a)  Method:   Giving  no  offense  to  any  one;  vs.  3. 
(6)  Manner   (ideals  of  life  which  he  sets  himself)  ; 
vss.  4-7. 

(c)  Means  (arms  he  uses)  ;  vss.  7,  8. 

(d)  Condition  (paradoxes  of  conditions) ;  vss.  9,  10. 

13.  For.  With  this  explanatory  for  Paul  passes  to  the  fourth 
and  last  characteristic  of  his  ministry,  its  secret.  He  does  not 
call  it  "its  secret,"  but  speaks  of  its  constraining  power,  its  fun- 
damental purpose,  and  his  conception  of  himself  as  spokesman 
for  God;  and  these  are  its  real  secret.  It  is  found  in  his  self- 
devotion,  his  absorption  in  Christ's  love  and  God's  redemptive 
work.     He  tries  to  lose  himself  in  his  ministry. 

Unto  God  .  .  .  unto  you  are  the  key-words  to  the  secret  of 
his  ministry. 

Whether  we  are  beside  ourselves  .  .  .  whether  sober. 
This  may,  and  probably  does,  refer  to  another  set  of  charges 
made  against  Paul,  that  he  was  unbalanced.  The  same  was 
said  of  Jesus  (Mk.  3:21)  by  His  friends  when  He  lost  Himself  in 


5:i4       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

you.    For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us;  because 
we  thus  judge,  that  one  died  for  all,  therefore  all 


the  greatness  of  His  ministry.  In  the  case  of  Paul  his  experiences 
of  visions  and  revelations  (12:1)  may  have  given  grounds  for  the 
charge.  Or,  as  in  the  case  of  Felix  (Acts  26:24),  the  enthusiasm 
of  Paul's  delivery  of  his  message  and  his  self-forgetfulness  may 
have  led  to  the  slur  that  he  was  mad.  Sober  mind  is  the  oppo- 
site. Whichever  he  is,  it  is  his  devotion  to  God  and  to  his  fellow 
men  that  is  the  mainspring  of  his  ministry. 

14.  For.  Another  for.  It  is  most  natural  to  think  that  by  it 
Paul  confirms  and  explains  what  he  has  just  said.  His  whole 
Ufe  is  unto  God  and  unto  you,  and  his  love  for  Christ  is  the  link 
that  binds  him  to  God  and  to  the  Corinthians. 

The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.  So  far  as  the  form 
of  words  is  concerned  love  of  Christ  may  mean  either  Paul's  love 
for  Christ  or  Christ's  love  for  Paul.  It  would  be  quite  in  keep- 
ing with  the  context  if  he  meant  the  former.  The  for  in  its  rela- 
tion to  verse  13,  and  the  idea  of  self-devotion  in  verse  15  and 
elsewhere — should  no  longer  live  unto  themselves — would  make 
that  interpretation  consistent.  Paul's  love  for  Christ  is  the  real 
secret  of  his  ministry.  The  objection  to  this  rendering — and  it 
is  all  but  conclusive — is  that  Paul  seems  everywhere  else  to 
have  the  other,  the  subjective  meaning,  in  mind,  when  he  speaks 
of  love  of  God  or  love  of  Christ  (2  Thess.  3:5;  2  Cor.  13:14; 
Eph.  3:19;  Rom.  5:5).  The  thought  is  not  very  different,  which- 
ever interpretation  holds,  for  constrain  seems  to  have  in  it  the 
idea  of  restrain  and  impel.  Like  a  canalized  river  whose  artifi- 
cial banks  serve  to  keep  the  stream  within  its  course  and  so 
send  it  more  swiftly  and  easily  on  its  way,  the  love  of  Christ* 
restrains  Paul  from  selfishness  of  purpose  and  impels  him  to  a 
life  of  unselfish  ministry. 

Because  we  thus  judge.  This  is  the  explanation,  as  Paul 
understands  it,  of  the  way  in  which  the  love  of  Christ  constrains 
him:  Christ's  love  found  its  utmost  expression  in  his  death  for 
others  (Jn.  15:13;  i  Jn.  3:16).  In  that  death  they  died  to  sin 
and  selfishness,  that  they  might  be  raised,  made  alive,  to  a  Christ- 
like, unselfish  life  (Rom.  6:8;  Col.  3:1-3).  If  they  are  alive,  i.e., 
raised  with  Christ  to  the  highest  life,  they  cannot  live  to  them- 
selves any  more;  they  live  for  Christ.  So  it  is  Christ's  love  that 
constrains  them  to  lives  of  unselfishness. 

One  died  for  all,  therefore  all  died.  Paul  is  not  giving  a 
discourse  on  the  atonement.  He  is  simply  explaining  how  he 
looks   at   the   constraining   influence    of    Christ's   love.     Christ's 

234 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       5:16 

15.  died;    and   he   died   for   all,   that   they   which   live 
should  no  longer  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him 

16.  who  for  their  sakes  died  and  rose  again.     Where- 
fore we  henceforth  know  no  man  after  the  flesh: 

death  is  a  supreme  act  of  love.  It  is  for  all.  For  means  here  on 
behalf  of,  not  instead  of.  By  this  act  of  love  Christ  made  it  pos- 
sible for  the  all,  for  whom  he  died,  to  die  with  him  to  selfishness, 
and  to  live  with  him  in  unselfishness.  It  is  one  of  Paul's  fa- 
vorite figures. 

15.  That  they  which  live.  That  those  who  have  been  raised 
with  him  to  the  highest  life,  i.e.,  to  Christlikeness,  and  so  live, 
may  live  not  to  self  but  to  Christ.  All  selfishness  is  low.  Self- 
lessness is  high.  "If  ye  were  raised  together  with  Christ  seek 
the  things  that  are  above"  (Col.  3:1).  If  one  is  raised  with 
Christ,  he  will  be  above  all  selfishness.  Low  things  will  be  be- 
neath him.  It  is  in  the  light  of  such  figures  as  Col.  1:1-3  that 
this  is  to  be  understood. 

16.  Wherefore.  In  view  of  the  constraining  love  of  Christ 
and  Paul's  explanation  of  it.  We  henceforth.  The  we  is  em- 
phatic. There  are  those  who  still  live  unto  themselves.  Pos- 
sibly he  has  the  Judaizers  in  mind.  The  henceforth  seems  to 
mean  from  the  time  he  began  to  live  unto  Christ. 

Know  no  man  after  the  flesh.  The  phrase  after  the  flesh 
or  according  to  the  flesh,  is  a  favorite  figure  in  Paul's  letters. 
He  uses  it  twenty  times  (in  Romans  eight  times;  in  2  Cor.  six 
times) .  Only  once  is  it  found  in  the  New  Testament  outside  of 
Paul's  letters  (Jn.  8:15),  and  that  once  differs  slightly  from  Paul's 
use.  After  the  flesh  is  Paul's  phrase.  He  uses  it  either  as  equiva- 
lent to  natural;  Abraham  our  forefather  according  to  the  flesh 
(Rom.  4:1)  or  as  contrasted  with  spiritual;  who  walk  not  after  the 
flesh  but  after  the  spirit  (Rom.  8:4).  Any  word  that  brings  out 
that  contrast  will  serve  as  a  paraphrase  for  after  the  flesh.  Some- 
times carnal  will  serve.  But  here  the  idea  of  spiritual  in  verses 
14-15,  i.e.,  of  one  who  has  died  to  sin  and  no  longer  lives  to  him- 
self, but  is  constrained  by  Christ's  love,  finds  its  contrast  in  the  old 
or  unchanged  man,  who  has  not  been  touched  by  Christ's  love  and 
who  still  lives  to  himself.  In  that  sense  he  is  old  (see  vs.  17),  he 
is  natural,  he  is  after  the  flesh  (Rom.  8:13).  So,  Paul  says,  I 
think  of  every  one  in  the  terms  of  what  he  is  or  may  be  in 
Christ,  what  he  is  potentially  as  a  Christian,  not  apart  from 
Christ,  after  the  flesh. 

And  then,  parenthetically,  he  adds:  once  I  knew  Christ  after 
the  flesh,  not  of  course  as  a  sinful  man,  but  as  a  man  untouched 

235 


5:17       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

even  though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the  flesh, 

17.  yet  now  we  know  him  so  no  more.  Wherefore  if 
any  man  is  in  Christ,  ^  he  is  sl  new  creature :  the 
old  things  are  passed  away;   behold,  they  are  be- 

18.  come  new.  But  all  things  are  of  God,  who  reconciled 

^  Or,   there  is  a  new  creation. 

by  the  power  of  the  resurrection;  perhaps  as  the  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  who  died.  But  now  I  know  him  as  the  Christ  who 
was  raised  from  the  dead.  The  reference  may  be  to  Paul's  esti- 
mate of  Jesus  before  his  arrest  by  him  on  the  road  to  Damascus, 
or  to  his  thought  of  him  in  his  earliest  Christian  experience  be- 
fore he  came  to  know  him  as  a  risen  Christ.  It  does  not  seem 
probable  that  there  is  any  refernce  to  any  personal  acquaintance 
with  Jesus  in  the  flesh,  nor  to  any  accusation  on  the  part  of 
Paul's  opponents  of  a  change  of  view  with  regard  to  Jesus. 

(Verse  16  has  always  puzzled  interpreters,  and  there  have  been 
many  interpretations.  One  of  them,  which  is  possible,  is  that 
after  the  flesh  corresponds  to  in  appearance  contrasted  with  w 
heart  [vs.  12].  We  know  no  man  according  to  externals  of 
rank,  race  or  appearance,  but  only  according  to  what  he  is.) 

17.  But  the  sequence  of  thought  is  better  preserved  by  the 
former,  for  he  goes  on  to  say  Wherefore,  i.e.,  in  view  of  what 
Christ  is,  who  died  and  rose  again  (15),  and  whom  we  know, 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  according  to  the  power  of  His  resurrec- 
tion (16),  any  man  who  is  in  Christ,  any  Christian  no  longer 
living  to  himself,  is  new,  a  new  creature,  or  (marginal),  a  new 
creation.  Paul  speaks  out  of  his  own  experience;  once  in  Christ 
the  old  things  are  passed  away,  the  old  selfish  life,  the  after  the 
flesh  life;  everything  is  new.    For  in  Christ,  see  note  on  1:21. 

18.  But.  The  antithesis  is  not  strong,  but  Paul  turns  to  a 
second  thought  in  regard  to  the  secret  of  his  ministry.  Further- 
more or  again  would  be  better  than  but.  Furthermore  it  is  a 
ministry  of  reconciliation.  Its  fundamental  purpose  is  recon- 
ciliation to  God.  He  begins  by  saying  that  Christ  is  the  agent, 
through  Christ,  but  the  source  of  all  good,  of  all  new  creations, 
is  God.  Paul  often  pauses  to  make  plain  that  God  is  the  source 
from  which  all  goodness  in  the  world  springs.  Christ  is  the  agent 
whom  God  used  to  reconcile  Paul  to  Himself.  Again  the  refer- 
ence is  personal.  The  us  refers  to  Paul's  own  experience.  Once 
he  was  out  of  harmony  with  God.  Through  Christ  he  was 
brought  into  harmony.  That  resulting  state  is  what  Paul  calls 
peace  (see  note  on  1:2).    Reconciled  is  another  of  Paul's  words. 

236 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       5:20 


us   to   himself   through   Christ,   and   gave   unto   us 

19.  the  ministry  of  reconciliation;  to  wit,  that  God  was 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
reckoning  unto  them  their  trespasses,  and  having 
1  committeed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 

20.  We  are  ambassadors  therefore  on  behalf  of  Christ, 


Or,   placed  in  us. 


It  is  found  only  in  Paul's  letters  in  the  New  Testament,  though 
a  similar  word  is  translated  reconciled  in  Matt.  5:24.  (See  Rom. 
5:10-11;  11:15;  I  Cor.  7:11;  2  Cor.  5:18-20.  These  are  all  the 
instances  of  its  use.)  In  every  instance  reconciled  signifies  the 
bringing  of  someone  into  harmony  with  another,  and  usually  of 
bringing  those  who  have  been  hostile  to  God  into  a  relation  of 
harmony  with  him  (Rom.  5:10-11).  Paul  was  called  through 
Christ  to  a  ministry  of  reconciliation,  to  be  a  peacemaker  (Matt, 
5:9),  to  devote  his  life  to  the  purpose  of  bringing  men  into  a 
relation  of  harmony  with  God. 

19.  To  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world 
unto  himself.  This  explains  the  ministry  of  reconciliation. 
Paul  was  reconciled  to  God  through  Christ.  Now  he  adds  that 
in  Christ  God  is  working  out  His  plan  of  bringing  the  world  into 
harmony  with  Himself.  It  should  not  be  read  God  was  in  Christ, 
reconciling  the  world,  but  as  punctuated  in  the  text.  And  it  was 
Paul's  particular  message  that  it  was  the  world  that  in  Christ 
was  being  reconciled,  not  merely  Jews. 

Not  reckoning  unto  them  their  trespasses.  Not  counting 
up,  calculating,  their  lapses  from  truth  and  righteousness.  It 
was  not  tabulating  sins  that  God  was  concerned  with,  but 
getting  all  men  out  of  enmity  into  harmony  with  him. 

And  having  committed  unto  us.  This  is  the  ministry  part 
of  the  ministry  of  reconciliation.  The  means  which  God  devised 
for  making  known  his  word,  or  message,  of  reconciliation  was 
human  agency.  To  Paul  he  committed  this  ministry.  It  was 
peculiarly  Paul's,  for  it  was  a  gospel  for  the  world  and  not  only 
for  his  Jewish  race. 

20.  We  are  ambassadors  therefore.  The  therefore  intro- 
duces a  third  characteristic  of  the  secret  of  his  ministry,  con- 
necting it  by  natural  sequence  with  the  preceding.  Because  God 
is  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself  in  Christ  and  has  committed 
unto  Paul  the  word  of  reconciliation,  therefore  Paul  becomes  a 
spokesman  for  God.  It  is  the  outward  expression  of  the  secret 
of  his  ministry.     He  is  not  on  his  own  business.     He  is  Christ's 


5:21       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

as  though  God  were  intreating  by  us:  we  beseech  you 

21.    on  behalf  of  Christ,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.    Him 

who  knew  no  sin  he  made  to  be  sin  on  our  behalf; 

that  we  might  become  the  righteousness  of  God  in 


ambassador.  In  Paul's  world  the  ambassador  was  the  Emperor's 
personal  messenger. 

On  behalf  of  Christ.  This  is  specially  emphatic.  It  would 
be  better  to  begin  the  sentence:  On  behalf  of  Christ  therefore 
we  are  ambassadors. 

As  though  God  were  entreating  by  us.  Paul  is  God's 
spokesman,  but  only  on  behalf  of  Christ.  God's  entreaty  to 
harmony  with  him  is  through  Christ  and  in  Christ.  Christ  is  the 
great  peacemaker.  And  Paul  is  his  ambassador  bringing  to  men 
God's  entreaty  which  is  made  possible  and  intelligible  only  in 
Christ. 

Be  ye  reconciled  to  God.  Not,  may  God  be  reconciled  to 
you.  The  enmity  is  on  man's  part,  not  God's.  This  is  Paul's 
emphasis  always. 

21.  Here  is  the  inducement  which  Paul  offers  in  his  plea  for 
reconciliation;  it  is  the  ground  on  which  he  makes  the  plea; 
God's  wonderful  gift  of  His  Son,  who  died  that  men  might  gain 
God's  righteousness. 

Him  who  knew  no  sin,  i.e.,  who  consciously  had  no  personal 
acquaintance  with  sin;  who  was  sinless.  "Which  of  you  con- 
victeth  me  of  sin?"  (Jn.  8:46),  Jesus  said  of  himself.  He  made 
to  be  sin  on  our  behalf.  This  of  course  is  figurative.  One 
can  be  a  sinner,  but  cannot  be  sin.  Paul  does  not  say  that  God 
made  Christ  a  sinner,  but  made  him  to  be  sin.  It  is  his  figura- 
tive way  of  saying  that  Jesus  died  for  us  sinners.  The  reference 
is  to  his  death.  The  cross  was  the  death  penalty  for  sin.  Paul 
could  best  illustrate  his  thought  of  Jesus'  death  by  saying  that 
in  his  death  he  identified  himself  with  sin,  so  that  men,  dying 
with  him  to  sin,  might  be  raised  with  him  to  life.  It  of  course 
had  to  be  illustrated  with  figurative  language.  Paul  had  many 
figures  which  he  used  for  Christ's  redemptive  work — redemptive 
is  one  of  them.  But  it  is  all  on  our  behalf,  because  of  God's 
great  love  and  desire  to  reconcile  the  world  unto  himself. 

That  we  might  become  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 
This  is  the  purpose  of  it  all.  As  Paul  used  sin  in  the  abstract, 
made  to  be  sin,  so  here  he  uses  righteousness  in  the  abstract.  To 
becoms  God's  righteousness  is  also  figurative.  It  is  to  become  an 
example   or   representative   of   God's   righteous  character.     It  is 

238 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         6:2 

6.    I.  him.    And  working  together  with  him  we  intreat 
2.    also  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain  (for 
he  saith, 

At  an  acceptable  time  I  hearkened  unto  thee, 
And  in  a  day  of  salvation  did  I  succour  thee: 
behold,  now  is  the  acceptable  time;  behold,  now  is 


God's  whole  purpose  for  human  life.  It  is  to  be  transformed  into 
the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory  (3:18);  only,  that  is  the 
process,  this  is  the  end,  as  God  plans  it.  And  it  is  all  in  him, 
i.e.,  in  Christ.  To  draw  from  these  words  involved  theories  of 
the  atonement  or  of  justification  is  to  run  the  risk  of  reading 
into  Paul's  language  what  was  not  in  his  thought. 

6:1.  Chapter  6  continues  the  thought.  There  is  no  para- 
graph break.  The  ye  is  now  emphatic.  It  was  not  emphatic  in 
5:20.  There  his  message  was  general;  here  it  is  particular.  As 
spokesman  for  God  Paul  entreats  (exhorts  or  encourages)  the 
Corinthians  that  they  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  Not 
only  is  the  emphasis  on  ye  but  it  is  on  God's  grace,  i.e.,  on  God's 
love  expressed  in  giving.  Grace  interprets  the  preceding  verse. 
This  is  the  second  item  in  Paul's  message  as  God's  spokesman. 

Working  together  with  him,  i.e.,  with  God.  This  gives 
Paul  his  authority.  He  is  fellow  worker  because  he  is  spokesman 
for  God._ 

In  vain.  It  was  possible  for  the  Corinthians  to  make  a  public 
declaration  of  their  acceptance  of  God's  grace,  and  yet  have  it 
in  vain.  It  was  possible  to  profess  to  receive  God's  grace,  and 
have  it  an  empty  profession  because  there  was  no  result. 

2.  In  Old  Testament  Scripture  language  verse  2  says,  "do  it 
now."  The  quotation  is  from  Is.  49:8.  In  the  Greek  it  is  an 
exact  quotation  from  the  Greek  of  the  Old  Testament.  The 
English  version  shows  a  slight  variation.  Either  the  word  receive 
(vs.  i)  suggested  the  quotation  to  Paul,  or,  less  likely,  he  thought 
of  his  own  mission  as  similar  to  that  of  the  Servant  in  Is.  49. 
Whichever  suggested  to  him  the  words,  verse  2  is  parenthetical 
and  its  Scripture  comment  on  Paul's  thought  is  rather  vague. 
Tlie  acceptable  time,  the  day  of  salvation  of  Is.  49:8,  Paul  says 
is  the  present  time,  not  the  present,  passing  moment,  but  the 
present  period  which  is  represented  by  Paul's  ministry  of  the 
new  covenant.  This  is  the  day  of  God's  grace — receive  it  not  in 
vain.  In  effect  the  illustration  is  an  injunction  to  receive  that 
grace  now. 


6:3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

3.  the  day  of  salvation):  giving  no  occasion  of  stum- 
bling  in   anything,    that   our   ministration   be   not 

4.  blamed ;  but  in  everything  commending  ourselves,  as 
ministers  of  God,  in  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  in 

3.  As  spokesman  for  God  this  is  the  third  item  in  Paul's  mes- 
sage: In  his  life,  in  every  way,  he  seeks  to  commend  God's 
minister  and  his  ministry. 

Giving  no  occasion  of  stumbling — a  figure  which  Paul  uses 
often,  but  with  different  words  for  stumbling.  The  word  he 
uses  here  is  found  only  here  in  the  New  Testament.  Other  words 
are  rendered  stumbling  block,  occasion  of  falling,  offense,  etc. 
Paul  tries  to  live  in  such  a  way  that  nothing  in  his  ministry 
may  prove  an  obstruction  or  a  snare  in  the  path  of  any  one  who 
is  seeking  God,  causing  him  to  get  a  fall. 

Ministration.  Ministry  would  be  better.  It  is  the  same  word 
he  has  used  before  (4:1;  5:18).  There  is  no  reason  for  changing 
the  English  word  to  ministration,  the  word  used  in  3:7,  8,  9. 

4.  Commending  ourselves.  This  is  the  phrase  he  has  used 
several  times  (3:1;  4:2;  5:12).  He  does  not  commend  himself. 
It  is  God's  minister  he  seeks  to  commend.  To  his  readers'  con- 
sciences he  commends  himself  as  a  minister  of  God, 

There  follows  a  carefully  thought  out  and  poetically  worded 
enumeration  of  the  ways,  means  and  conditions  which  charac- 
terize his  daily  life  as  a  message  of  commendation  for  his  min- 
istry. 

The  richness  of  his  thought  is  best  illustrated  by  a  careful 
outline.  The  preposition  in  introduces  eighteen  words  and 
phrases.  The  first,  in  much  patience,  is  followed  by  three  groups 
of  three  circumstances  each,  in  which  his  patience  is  exercised. 
Then  follow  eight  further  ideals  of  life  which  he  sets  himself, 
coordinate  with  in  much  patience,  nine  in  all. 

Then  the  preposition  is  changed  to  by  (margin,  through).  By 
means  of  his  integrity  he  fights  his  way  through  two  sets  of  cir- 
cumstances. 

A  group  of  seven  paradoxes  follows,  giving  the  reported  con- 
dition and  the  true  condition  of  his  life  and  ministry.  Most,  if 
not  all,  represent  the  things  which  men  say  about  him  (or  might 
say  about  him)  and  the  actual  truth  as  he  sees  it.  Each  of  the 
seven  is  introduced  by  as.  An  outline  of  verses  3-10  is  a  com- 
mentary.    (See    (3)   of  outline  on  page  233). 

(a)  Method:  Giving  no  offense  to  any  one. 

(b)  Manner  (ideals  of  life  which  as  minister  he  sets  himself) : 

240 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINtHIANS         6:6 

5.  necessities,  in  distresses,  in  stripes,  in  imprisonments, 

6.  in  tumults,  in  labours,  in  watchings,  in  fastings;  in 


1.  Much  patience: 

(i)   In  general,  in  trying  experiences: 

(a)  afflictions:  trials,  suffering. 

(b)  necessities:  unavoidable  troubles. 

(c)  distresses:   desperate  situations. 

(2)  In  particular,  in  abuse  from  his  opponents: 
(a)  stripes:  blows,  by  rod  or  scourge. 

(6)   imprisonments. 

(c)   tumults:  riots,  mob  violence. 

(3)  In  particular,  in  the  hardships  of  his  work: 
(a)  labors:  fatiguing  toil. 

(6)   watchings:  sleeplessness,  from  work  or  worry, 
(c)  fastings:  hunger,  voluntary  or  involuntary. 

2.  Pureness:  a  clean  heart  and  a  clean  life. 

3.  Knowledge:  intimate  acquaintance  with  Christian  truth. 

4.  Longsufferi-ng:  not  easily  provoked. 

5.  Kindness:  kindly,  gentlemanly. 

6.  The  Holy  Ghost:  a  spirit  of  holiness,  reverence. 

7.  Love  unfeigned:  sincere,  straightforward  love. 

8.  The  Word  of  Truth:  speech  whose  characteristic  is  truth. 

9.  Power  of  God:  God-given  effectiveness. 

(c)  Means  (weapons  or  instruments  he  uses) : 

Armor  of  righteousness — integrity,  his  sword  and  shield. 

1.  Through  glory  and  dishonor; 

2.  Through  evil  report  and  good  report. 

(d)  Condition   (paradoxes  of  conditions) : 

1.  Deceivers  and  yet  true — called  "imposters,"  but  genuine. 

2.  Unknown    and    well    known — called    "obscure,"    but    well 

known. 

3.  Dying  .  .  .  we  live — reported  dying,  but  very  much  alive. 

4.  Chastened  and  not  killed — scourged,  but  not  fatally. 

5.  Sorrowful  .  .  .  rejoicing — reason  for   sorrow,  but   joyful. 

6.  Poor  .  .     making    many    rich — reputed    poor,    but    with 

much  to  give. 

7.  Having  nothing  .  .  .  all  things — penniless,  but  with  large 

possessions. 

4.  In  denotes  manner  as  used  with  much  patience  and  with  the 
eight  other  graces  beginning  with  pureness.  With  the  nine  kinds 
of  experiences,  beginning  with  afflictions,  in  gives  the  sphere  in 
which  the  nine  graces  must  be  practiced,  especially  the  patience. 

241 


6:7         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

pureness,  in  knowledge,  in  longsuffering,  in  kindness, 

7.  in  the  ^  Holy  Ghost,  in  love  unfeigned,  in  the  word 
of  truth,  in  the  power  of  God ;  ^  by  the  armour  of 

8.  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  by 
glory  and  dishonour,  by  evil  report  and  good  re- 

9.  port;  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true;  as  unknown,  and 
yet  well  known;  as  dying,  and  behold,  we  Hve;  as 

10.  chastened,  and  not  killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  alway 
rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  making  many  rich;  as  having 
nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things. 

^  Or,   Holy   Spirit  and  so   throughout  this  book.  ^  Qj..,    through. 

6.  In  the  Holy  Ghost.  Holy  Spirit  is  the  better  translation 
always  used  in  the  American  Revised  Version.  But  here  in  a 
spirit  of  holiness  gives  Paul's  meaning  better  than  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  corresponds  better  to  the  companion  graces. 

7.  By  the  armor  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and 
on  the  left.  Just  as  above  there  was  a  difference  in  the  use  of 
in,  so  here  there  is  a  difference  in  by.  With  armor  it  denotes 
means  or  instrument.  His  integrity  is  his  sword  and  his  shield, 
the  sword  is  the  armor  of  the  right  hand,  the  shield  is  the 
armor  of  the  left  hand.  With  this  offensive  and  defensive  armor 
he  goes  unscathed  through  (here  the  by  should  be  rendered 
through)  glory  and  dishonor,  evil  report  and  good  report.  No 
matter  whether  he  is  surrounded  with  the  praise,  compliments, 
adulations  of  his  friends,  or  the  abuse,  complaints,  discrediting 
of  his  opponents,  his  integrity  takes  him  through. 

8.  As  deceivers  and  yet  true.  Each  of  these  seven  para- 
doxes is  introduced  by  as.  Since  some  of  them  give  the  contrast 
between  what  is  said  of  Paul  and  what  he  actually  is,  it  is  best 
to  take  them  all  in  that  way.  They  are  not  seven  charges 
against  him  by  his  opponents,  but  each  represents  either  what 
they  said  or  what  they  might  naturally  have  thought. 

This  closes,  with  a  striking  climax,  what  Paul  has  to  say  about 
his  ministry.  It  would  be  impossible  to  find  anywhere  a  loftier 
statement  of  a  minister's  ideals  for  his  life  and  his  ministry. 


242 


6:i2 


III.     Paul's  Joy  in  the  Corinthians;  6:ii — 7:16. 

11.  Our  mouth  is  open  unto  you,  O  Corinthians,  our 

12.  heart  is  enlarged.  Ye  are  not  straitened  in  us,  but  ye 

Paul's  Joy  in  the  Corinthians 
I.  The  ways  in  which  it  finds  expression: 

a.  His  frank  speech;  vs.  11,  4. 

b.  His  wide  open  heart. 

(i)  The  narrow  quarters  of  constraint  are  not  in  Paul. 
(2)  They  are  found  in  the  Corinthians'  feelings. 

c.  His  yearning  for  a  reciprocal  affectionate  frankness;  vs.  13. 

Parenthesis,  suggested  by  enlarged  and  its  association  with 

Deut.  11:16;  6:14 — 7:1. 
Being  wide  open  to  unbelievers;  vs.  14. 

1.  Its  incongruity — seen  in: 

a.  The  incompatibility  of  righteousness  and  sin. 

b.  "  "  of  light  and  darkness. 

c.  "  "  of  Christ  and  Belial;  vs.  15. 

d.  "  "  of  faith  and  unfaith. 

e.  "  "  of   God's  temple  and  idols;   vs. 

16. 
Explanation: 

Christians  are  God's  temple. 
Proof:     Scripture;  vs.  16. 

2.  Its  sinfulness — it  disobeys   God's  commandments. 

Proof:     Scripture;  vss.  17,  18. 
Conclusion:     Therefore: 

1.  be  pure. 

2.  be  separate. 

d.  His  yearning  for  expressions  of  affection;  vs.  2. 

Justification;  his  attitude  toward  them: 
(i)  Neg.     He   has   wronged,  hurt,   taken   advantage   of   no 

man. 
(2)   Pos.    They  are  his  heart's  life;  vs.  3. 

e.  His  confidence  and  pride  in  them;  vs.  4. 

/.  His  bubbling  over  with  encouragement  and  gladness  in  spite 
of  all  his  trouble. 

243 


6:i2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2.  The  Immediate  Cause:     Titus'  return. 

a.  The  anxiety  preceding  it;  vs.  5. 

b.  The  Author,  who  brought  it  about,  God;  vs.  6. 

3.  The  Underlying  Cause:     Titus'  encouraging  message;  vs.  7. 

a.  Content  of  message:     Their  longing,  mourning,  zeal  for  Paul. 

b.  Significance  (to  Paul),  (vs.  8): 

(i)  Neg.    Not  their  being  hurt  by  the  letter,  which  he  had 

almost  repented  sending. 
(2)  Pos.    But  that  they  were  hurt  unto  repentance;  vs.  9. 

c.  Significance    (for   the   church) :      It  was   a   God-sent  hurt, 

which  justified  it. 
(i)   Proof  (in  general),  vs.  10: 

(a)  A  God-sent  hurt  worketh  repentance. 
lb)  A  world-sent  hurt  worketh  death. 
(2)  Proof  (in  particular):     The  result  in  the  Corinthians: 
(a)  Their  eagerness  to  make  good  the  wrong;  vs.  11. 
{b)  Their  discovery  of  how  much  they  cared  for  Paul; 
vs.  12. 
Conclusion:    Paul's  consequent  encouragement;  vs.  13. 

4.  An  Additional  Cause:     Titus'  personal  joy;  vs.  13. 

a.  Its  ground:     The  refreshing  of  his  spirit  by  the  Corinthians. 

b.  Its  effect  on  Titus:     His  heart  went  out  to  them;  vs.  15. 
Cause:    His  memory  of: 

(a)  Their  obedience. 

{b)  Their  reception  of  him  with  fear  and  trembling. 

c.  Its   effect    on    Paul:     Satisfaction    that    he    had    truthfully 

boasted  of  them  to  Titus;  vs.  14. 
Comparison:      As  truthfully   as  he  has   always  spoken   to 
them. 
Conclusion  (Summary ;  in  a  word) : 

It  is  a  joy  to  have  confidence  in  them  in  everything;  vs.  16. 

II.  At  this  point  Paul  turns  from  the  subject  of  his  ministry 
to  his  personal  relation  to  the  church  at  Corinth.  The  passage  is 
full  of  emotion.  Affection,  joy,  pathos,  humor  all  blend.  He  is 
unspeakably  happy  over  the  result  of  Titus'  mission  to  Corinth 
and  the  removal  of  all  constraint,  or  nearly  all,  between  himself 
and  the  Corinthians. 

The  words  comfort,  i.e.,  encouragement,  and  joy  or  rejoice  are 
repeated  many  times  in  the  paragraph,  especially  in  chapter  seven. 
Under  the  subject,  Paul's  joy  in  the  Corinthians,  it  is  possible  to 
gather  in  outline  form  all  that  he  says,  in  spite  of  its  emotional 
character.  The  section  6:14 — 7:1  is  parenthetical,  no  matter  what 
the  subject  of  the  paragraph  as  a  whole. 

Our  mouth  is  open  unto  you.    The  reference  is  not  only  to 

244 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       6:13 

13.  are  straitened  in  your  own  affections.  Now  for  a 
recompense  in  like  kind  (I  speak  as  unto  my  chil- 
dren), be  ye  also  enlarged. 

what  he  is  about  to  say,  of  which  this  section  (6:11 — 7:4)  is 
the  Introduction,  but  to  what  he  has  just  been  writing  in  regard 
to  his  ministry.  He  has  spoken  very  frankly.  There  have  been 
no  tight  closed  lips,  indicative  of  concealment  and  suppressed 
bitterness. 

O  Corinthians.  Paul  seldom  in  the  body  of  his  letter  addresses 
his  readers  by  name.  It  is  an  indication  of  his  great  emotion. 
See  Gal.  3:1;  Phil.  4:15. 

Our  heart  is  enlarged.  I  have  thrown  wide  open  to  you  the 
doors  of  my  heart.  There  could  hardly  be  a  more  winsome  or 
irresistible  confession  of  affection. 

12  Ye  are  not  straitened  in  us.  Straitened  is  contrasted 
with  enlarged,  narrow  with  wide.  If  there  is  still  any  feeling  of 
constramt  on  their  part,  any  sense  of  closed  doors  or  quarters 
too  narrow  for  them  and  Paul,  the  constraint  must  be  in  them, 
for  Paul  has  thrown  reserve  and  diffidence  to  the  winds. 

13.  Now  for  a  recompense  in  like  kind,  i.e.,  pay  me  back 
in  the  same  coin  by  opening  your  hearts  wide  to  me.  You  are 
my  own  children,  and  I  ask  it  as  your  father. 

With  7:2  Paul  takes  up  the  thought  of  6:11-13.  Make 
room  in  your  hearts  jar  us,  he  says.  If  6:14 — 7:1  were  omitted 
his  thought  would  be  continuous  and  logical.  How  shall  this 
parenthetical  paragraph  be  explained?  The  simplest,  but  least 
satisfactory  explanation,  is  that  it  is  an  interpolation  here,  in 
some  way  dropped  into  the  letter  by  a  copyist  who  was  copying 
an  early  manuscript  of  the  letter.  It  is  from  Paul's  correspond- 
ence with  the  church  at  Corinth,  but  does  not  belong  at  this 
point.  At  best  this  is  a  guess.  There  is  no  evidence  to  substan- 
tiate it. 

The  most  probable  suggestion  is  based  on  Paul's  familiarity 
with  Old  Testament  language.  In  the  phrases  our  heart  is  en- 
larged, be  ye  also  enlarged,  he  uses  a  word  whose  most  familiar 
association  is  with  the  Old  Testament.  Enlarged  is  better  ren- 
dered opened  wide.  It  is  found  in  the  New  Testament  only  here 
and  in  Matt.  23:5.  But  in  Deut.  11:16  is  this  familiar  injunc- 
tion: "Take  heed  to  yourselves  lest  your  heart  be  opened  wide 
(R.  v.,  deceived)  and  ye  turn  aside  and  serve  other  gods.  .  .  ." 
Having  used  this  word,  the  association  of  ideas  leads  Paul  on  to 
say:  Do  not  open  wide  your  hearts  to  let  in  unbelief,  iniquity, 
darkness,  Belial,  idols  of  any  sort  .  .  .  make  room  for  us. 

245 


6:i4       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

14.  Be  not  unequally  yoked  with  unbelievers:  for  what 
fellowship  have  righteousness  and  iniquity?  or  what 

15.  communion  hath  light  with  darkness?  And  what 
concord  hath  Christ  with  ^  Belial?  or  what  portion 

16.  hath  a  believer  with  an  unbeliever?  And  what  agree- 
ment hath  a  ^  temple  of  God  with  idols?  for  we  are 
a  2  temple  of  the  living  God;  even  as  God  said,  I 
will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them;  and  I  will  be 

^  Or,   Beliar.  ^  Or,   Sanctuary. 

This  explanation  is  only  plausible.  It  is  not  altogether  satis- 
factory, but  it  is  in  line  with  a  habit  of  Paul's  to  let  Old  Testa- 
ment quotations  take  him  a  little  out  of  his  course.  It  is  given 
probability  by  the  use  of  such  words  as  Belial  and  idols,  which 
indicate  that  he  is  thinking  in  Old  Testament  terms;  and  also 
by  his  emphatic  and  pointed  change  (7:2)  to  another  word  for 
open.  The  marginal  reading  makes  this  plain.  Make  room  for 
us  is  better  than  open,  which  should  have  been  used  for  enlarged 
(11,  13).  If  we  knew  more  of  the  conditions  in  Corinth  we  might 
find  easier  of  explanation  this  digression  about  the  danger  of  too 
intimate  association  with  the  heathen. 

14.  Be  not  unequally  yoked  with  unbelievers.  In  Deut. 
22:10  is  the  injunction:  "Thou  shalt  not  plow  with  an  ox  and 
an  ass  together."  This  seems  to  be  the  metaphor  in  unequally 
yoked.  Unbelievers  are  non-Christians,  and  the  reference  is  to 
the  idolatrous  and  sensual  heathen  of  Corinth,  from  whose  num- 
ber they  had  come,  and  from  wide  open  associations  with  whom 
Christians  must  be  separate  (17)- 

What  fellowship  have  righteousness  and  iniquity.  The 
incongruity  and  the  absurdity  of  a  Christian  being  ivide  open 
to,  or  unequally  yoked  with,  unbelievers,  is  illustrated  in  five 
epigrammatic  antitheses,  the  incompatibility  of  (i)  righteousness 
and  iniquity  (they  are  not  good  yoke-fellows);  (2)  light  and 
darkness;  (3)  Christ  and  Belial  (Belial  is  a  name  for  Satan.  He 
is  the  personification  of  utter  wickedness.  Christ  is  the  light  of 
the  world  and  Belial  the  prince  of  darkness)  ;  (4)  a  believer  and 
an  unbeliever;  (5)  a  temple  of  God  and  idols. 

Five  well-chosen  words,  all  different,  all  vigorous,  are  used 
to  characterize  the  incompatibility.  Between  these  opposites 
there  can  be  no  fellowship  (partnership),  communion  (intimacy), 
concord  (harmony),  portion  (sharing),  agreement   (compact). 

16.  For  we  are  a  temple  of  the  living  God.  The  we  and 
246 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         7:1 

17.  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.   Wherefore 

Come  ye  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord, 

And  touch  no  unclean  thing; 
And  I  will  receive  you, 

18.  And  will  be  to  you  a  Father, 

And  ye  shall  be  to  me  sons  and  daughters, 
7.    I.  saith  the  Lord  Almighty.    Having  therefore  these 
promises,  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all 


the  living  are   emphatic.     The   we   is  not  Paul's  plural  for  the 
singular,  but  we  Christians,  i.e.,  the  church,  are  a  temple  of  a  God 
who  is  living.    Idols  are  not  alive. 
The  statement  is  confirmed  by  a  quotation  from  Lev.  26:11-12. 

17.  Wherefore  introduces  Old  Testament  phrases  which  prove 
that  an  intimacy  of  Christians  with  heathen  is  not  only  incon- 
gruous but  is  sinful.  Christians  are  commanded  to  be  separate. 
The  quotations  are  from  several  sources  (Is.  52:11;  Ez.  20:34; 
2  Sam.  7:14).  They  are  at  best  only  quoted  phrases  as  Paul 
remembers  and  adopts  Scripture  language.  But  the  quotation  is 
much  more  evident  in  the  Greek  than  in  our  English  translation. 
This  Old  Testament  language  is  an  indication  that  it  was  the 
Old  Testament  phrase  open  wide  which  was  responsible  for  this 
digression. 

18.  Sons  and  daughters.  In  Is.  43:6  daughters  as  well  as 
sons  of  God  are  mentioned,  but  it  was  not  a  usual  form  of  ex- 
pression. 

7:1.  Therefore  introduces  the  conclusion  to  the  digression, 
or  parenthesis.  Because  of  the  commands  and  promises  of  God, 
let  us  be  pure,  let  us  be  separate. 

Let  us  cleanse  ourselves.  Paul  associates  himself  with  his 
readers  in  the  exhortation  and  tactfully  calls  them  beloved,  a 
form  of  address  which  he  uses  seldom,  only  once  again  in  this 
letter  (12:19).  Idolatry  and  impurity  were  the  two  heathen  sins, 
most  besetting,  and  to  the  Jewish  and  Christian  thought  most 
revolting.  In  the  defilement  of  flesh  and  spirit  Paul  has  these 
in  mind.  They  are  heathen  practices  and  from  them  the  Chris- 
tian must  cleanse  himself. 

Perfecting  holiness.  Holiness  in  its  very  essence  means 
separation,  a  setting  apart  for  God.  It  is  the  climax  of  the  digres- 
sion. To  the  heathen  and  heathen  practices  of  idolatry  and 
impurity    the    Christian    cannot    open    his    heart    wide.     Perfect 


247 


7:2         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

defilement  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in 
the  fear  of  God. 

2.  ^  Open  your  hearts  to  us:  we  wronged  no  man,  we 

3.  corrupted  no  man,  we  took  advantage  of  no  man.  I 
say  it  not  to  condemn  you\  for  I  have  said  before, 
that  ye  are  in  our  hearts  to  die  together  and  live  to- 

^  Gr.,    Make    room   for   us. 

holiness  means  perfect  separation  from  sin  to  God.  Then,  choos- 
ing another  word  than  open  wide,  Paul  returns  to  his  thought  of 
6:13,  Make  room  for  us  in  your  hearts. 

2.  We  wronged  no  man.  Paul  yearns  for  expressions  of 
affection  on  their  part.  He  justifies  his  yearning  by  his  own 
personal  relation  to  them,  negative  and  positive:  he  has  not 
wronged,  hurt,  taken  advantage  of  one  of  them;  on  the  other 
hand  they  are  a  part  of  his  heart's  life;  they  are  in  his  heart 
whether  he  dies  or  lives. 

3.  I  say  it  not  to  condemn  you,  for.  By  insisting  so  ear- 
nestly that  they  ought  to  be  equally  frank  and  affectionate  toward 
him  he  may  seem  to  be  condemning  them  for  coldness  or  heart- 
lessness.  He  is  not  condemning  them;  he  could  not,  for  they  are 
his  very  heart.  Where  there  is  such  a  wealth  of  affection  there 
is  no  room  for  condemnation. 

I  have  said  before.  Probably  he  refers  to  3:2,  written  in  our 
hearts. 

4.  Great  is  my  boldness.  Frank  confidence  is  better  than 
boldness  of  speech.  Great  is  my  confidence  in  you,  great  is  my 
glorying  over  you,  i.e.,  I  am  very  proud  of  you,  I  sound  your 
praises. 

I  am  filled  with  comfort.  Again  encouragement  is  a  better 
word  than  comfort.  His  thought  is  once  more  where  it  was  in 
1:3-7.  In  all  our  affliction.  The  same  phrase  that  he  used  in 
1:4.  In  spite  of  his  trouble  (literally  upon  all  our  affliction)  en- 
couragement and  gladness  fill  his  heart  full  till  it  runs  over. 

5.  For.  By  for  is  introduced  the  first  of  the  three  grounds  or 
causes  for  Paul's  special  joy.  The  immediate  cause  is  Titus' 
return  from  Corinth. 

That  Paul  had  met  Titus  somewhere  in  Macedonia  is  implied 
but  not  stated  in  2:13  ff.,  where  Paul  speaks  of  leaving  Troas 
because  he  was  so  eager  to  hear  from  Titus,  and  of  going  across 
to  Macedonia.  His  outburst  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  his  Tri- 
umphal Procession  interrupts  his  story  there.  It  is  taken  up  in 
7:5  just  where  it  was  broken  off  at  2:13.    Titus  came  at  last. 

248 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         7:7 

4.  gether.  Great  is  my  boldness  of  speech  toward  you, 
great  is  my  glorying  on  your  behalf:  I  am  tilled  with 
comfort,  I  overflow  with  joy  in  all  our  affliction. 

5.  For  even  when  we  were  come  into  Macedonia,  our 
flesh  had  no  relief,  but  we  were  afflicted  on  every 
side;    without   were    fightings,    within    were    fears. 

6.  Nevertheless   he   that   comforteth   the   lowly,    even 

7.  God,  comforted  us  by  the  ^  coming  of  Titus;  and 
not  by  his  ^  coming  only,  but  also  by  the  comfort 

^  Gr.,   presence. 

Our  flesh  had  no  relief.  In  Troas  he  had  no  relief  for  his 
spirit  (2:13).  In  Macedonia  his  fiesh  had  no  relief.  The  two 
phrases  cannot  be  very  different  in  meaning.  Usually  Paul  con- 
trasts strongly  spirit  and  flesh.  But  here  flesh  is  not  the  seat  of 
sin  but  the  seat  of  natural  emotions,  dread,  anxiety,  fears.  Even 
in  Macedonia  he  had  a  hard  time  till  at  last  Titus  reached  him. 

Afflicted  on  every  side.  What  he  says  of  affliction  and 
comfort  here  helps  to  interpret  what  he  meant  when  he  used 
these  words  repeatedly  in  the  first  chapter  (1:3-11).  What  the 
troubles  were  which  surrounded  him  in  Macedonia  he  does  not 
say.     But  he  implies  that  they  were  of  two  kinds. 

Without  were  fightings,  within  were  fears.  The  fears 
from  within  are  easily  understood.  Paul  feared  lest  the  delay 
of  Titus  meant  the  failure  of  his  mission  to  Corinth.  He  feared 
that  his  letter,  written  with  many  tears,  had  not  had  the  desired 
effect.  What  the  fightings  from  without  were  no  one  can  deter- 
mine. Possibly  he  was  beset  with  opponents.  But  why  should 
he  have  had  contests  with  them  in  Macedonia?  More  likely  the 
reference  is  to  the  fight  which  he  is  having  with  the  church  at 
Corinth.  Not  till  Titus  comes  and  announces  peace  is  the  struggle 
over. 

6.  He  that  comforteth  the  lowly.  He  that  encourageth 
those  who  are  depressed,  those  who  are  discouraged.  As  in  1:3 
Paul  lays  strong  emphasis  on  the  fact  that  God  is  the  author  and 
source  of  all  encouragement. 

The  coming  of  Titus.  The  marginal  rendering  presence  is 
not  preferable.     It  adds  a  meaning  that  is  in  the  word  coming. 

It  was  the  arrival  and  presence  of  Titus  that  occasioned  the 
joy. 

7.  And  not  by  his  coming  only.  There  was  a  still  deeper 
meaning   to  Paul's   joy.     It   was  Titus'   message   that   was   the 

249 


7:8         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

wherewith  he  was  comforted  in  you,  while  he  told 
us  your  longing,  your  mourning,  your  zeal  for  me;  so 

8.  that  I  rejoiced  yet  more.  For  though  I  made  you 
sorry  with  my  epistle,  I  do  not  regret  it,  though  I 
did  regret ;  ^  f or  I  see  that  that  epistle  made  you 

9.  sorry,  though  but  for  a  season.  Now  I  rejoice,  not 
that  ye  were  made  sorry,  but  that  ye  were  made 
sorry  unto  repentance:  for  ye  were  made  sorry  after 
a  godly  sort,  that  ye  might  suffer  loss  by  us  in 

10.    nothing.      For    godly    sorrow    worketh    repentance 

^  Some    ancient    authorities    omit   for. 

underlying  cause.     Titus'  feeling  of  encouragement  and  optimism 
as  he  made  his  report  caused  Paul  to  rejoice  yet  more. 

Your  longing,  your  mourning,  your  zeal  for  me.  These 
were  the  three  special  points  in  Titus'  report.  They  were  eager 
to  see  Paul;  they  were  sorry  for  what  they  had  said  and  done; 
they  were  ardent,  not  half-hearted  or  lukewarm,  but  intensely 
in  earnest. 

8.  For,  explanatory  of  Paul's  rejoicing  at  their  sorrow.  The 
significance  to  Paul  of  this  report  from  Titus  that  they  were 
sorry  was  not  in  the  fact  of  their  hurt,  but  in  the  fact  of  their 
repentance.  His  letter,  in  spite  of  his  fears,  had  produced  the 
desired  effect. 

Though  I  did  regret.  The  latter  part  of  verse  8  should  be 
read  as  a  parenthesis  inserted  between  though  I  did  regret  and 
now  I  rejoice,  and  these  two  should  be  brought  together.  The 
punctuation  in  the  text  is  not  the  most  satisfactory.  It  might 
be  rendered  in  this  way:  For  though  I  made  you  sorry  with  my 
epistle  I  do  not  regret  it.  Even  though  I  did  begin  to  regret  it, 
when  I  saw  that  the  epistle,  though  only  for  a  season,  had  made 
you  sorry,  yet  now  I  rejoice  .  .  . 

9.  Sorry  after  a  godly  sort.  A  second  significance  of  Titus' 
encouraging  report  is  that  the  hurt  has  proved  to  be  God-sent 
and  so  has  been  justified.  After  a  godly  sort  is  equivalent  to 
according  to  God's  plan.  If  the  letter  of  Paul  caused  a  God-sent 
hurt,  then  the  hurt  cannot  be  laid  to  Paul's  account  as  damage 
or  loss  which  he  has  caused.  God's  purpose  turns  what  might 
have  been  loss  into  gain. 

10.  The  proof,  in  general,  that  it  was  a  God-sent  hurt  is  found 
in  its  result.    When  God  sends  a  hurt  it  results  in  a  repentance 

250 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7^11 

^  unto  salvation,  a  repentance  which  bringeth  no 
regret:  but  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 
II.  For  behold,  this  selfsame  thing,  that  ye  were  made 
sorry  after  a  godly  sort,  what  earnest  care  it  wrought 
in  you,  yea,  what  clearing  of  yourselves,  yea,  what 
indignation,  yea,  what  fear,  yea,  what  longing,  yea, 
what  zeal,  yea,  what  avenging!      In  everything  ye 

^  Or,   unto   a  salvation  which   bringeth   no   regret. 

which  ends  in  a  joyful  salvation.  A  world- sent  hurt  never  stops 
hurting  till  it  has  wrought  out  its  natural  end,  death. 

Salvation — which  bringeth  no  regret.  The  rendering  of 
the  margin  is  preferable.  The  salvation  in  which  the  hurt  results 
had  its  beginning  in  repentance  (regret)  and  has  its  end  in  a  state 
never  to  be  regretted  (repented  of). 

Sorrow  of  the  world.  Not  a  parallel  phrase  with  godly 
sorrow,  but  almost  parallel  in  its  meaning.  It  is  not  a  worldly 
(i.e.,  an  insincere  or  superficial)  sorrow,  but  a  sorrow  which  be- 
longs to  the  world  as  opposed  to  God.  If  pain  or  hurt  is  used 
instead  of  sorrow  Paul's  meaning  is  clearer.  If  he  had  written  his 
severe  letter  in  any  but  a  Christian  spirit  it  would  have  proved 
not  a  godly  sorrow  but  a  sorrow  of  the  world,  and  it  would  not 
have  stopped  till  it  had  wrought  out  a  condition  the  opposite  of 
salvation — death. 

II.  A  second  proof,  in  particular,  is  the  actual  effect  of  this 
God-sent  sorrow  on  the  Corinthians.  It  takes  two  avenues  of 
expression.  The  one  is  their  discovery  of  how  much  they  really 
cared  for  Paul;  and  the  other  is  their  eagerness  to  make  good 
the  wrong. 

What  earnest  care.  As  the  same  words  are  used  again  in 
the  next  verse,  where  it  is  earnest  care  for  us,  that  is  probably 
his  meaning  here.  Titus,  in  his  report,  has  laid  great  emphasis 
on  the  fact  that  the  church  at  Corinth  has  discovered  that  it 
really  does  care  very  much  for  Paul. 

What  clearing  of  yourselves.  The  six  descriptive  words  of 
which  clearing  is  the  first  are  summarized  by  the  last  clause,  in 
everything  ye  approved  yourselves  to  be  pure  in  the  matter. 
This  is  the  second  effect  of  the  letter  and  the  godly  sorrow  it 
caused,  an  eagerness  to  make  good  the  wrong.  Clearing  of  your- 
selves; i.e.,  of  participation  in  the  wrong.  Indignation,  at  those 
who  had  wronged  Paul.  Fear,  genuine  alarm  at  the  probable 
consequences.     Longing,   to   have    the    wrong    righted   and   win 


7:i2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

12.  approved  yourselves  to  be  pure  in  the  matter.  So 
although  I  wrote  unto  you,  /  wrote  not  for  his  cause 
that  did  the  wrong,  nor  for  his  cause  that  suffered 
the  wrong,  but  that  your  earnest  care  for  us  might  be 

13.  made  manifest  unto  you  in  the  sight  of  God.  There- 
fore we  have  been  comforted:  and  in  our  comfort  we 
joyed  the  more  exceedingly  for  the  joy  of  Titus,  be- 

14.  cause  his  spirit  hath  been  refreshed  by  you  all.  For 
if  in  anything  I  have  gloried  to  him  on  your  behalf, 


Paul's  forgiveness.     Zeal,  ardor,  fervor,  in  their  resolve  to  make 
good.    Avenging,  insistence  on  the  punishment  of  the  offender. 

12.  So.  A  repetition  in  a  little  different  form  of  the  thought 
of  the  preceding  verse.  The  effect  of  the  letter  justifies  and 
proves  Paul's  real  purpose  in  writing  it.  Primarily  it  was  not  to 
secure  the  punishment  of  the  one  who  did  the  wrong;  it  was 
not  to  secure  reparation  for  the  one  who  suffered  the  wrong;  it 
was  to  reveal  the  Corinthians  to  themselves,  and  bring  them  to 
see  how  closely  they  were  bound  to  Paul. 

In  the  sight  of  God — that  is,  as  God  sees  it;  as  in  His  pres- 
ence. Their  vision  of  things  and  relations,  especially  of  their 
relations  to  Paul,  had  been  obscured.  Paul's  letter  has  cleared  it. 
In  the  sight  of  God  things  are  seen  as  they  are. 

13.  Therefore.  The  conclusion  to  the  preceding  paragraph. 
Because  of  Titus'  encouraging  report  we  were  and  are  en- 
couraged. 

And  in  our  comfort  we  joyed  the  more.  This  introduces 
the  fourth  fact  which  Paul  states  about  his  joy  in  the  Corinthians; 
an  additional  cause  for  his  joy  is  the  personal  joy  of  Titus.  Titus 
had  returned  from  Corinth  so  happy  over  the  outcome  of  his 
mission  and  so  buoyant  of  spirit,  so  refreshed,  that  Paul's  joy 
was  greatly  increased  just  by  observing  Titus'  joy. 

14.  For  introduces  an  explanation  of  Paul's  special  pleasure 
that  Titus  is  so  happy  over  his  mission  to  Corinth.  Titus  had 
not  been  so  sanguine  in  advance  as  to  its  probable  outcome.  Paul 
had  assured  him  that  the  Corinthians  would  prove  true.  He 
had  gloried  to  him  on  their  behalf,  had  boasted  a  little  about 
them.  And  now  he  can  say  to  Titus,  "I  told  you  so,"  /  was  not 
put  to  shame. 

But  as  we  spake  all  things  to  you  in  truth.  Paul  takes 
this  tactful  and  playful  way  of  adding  another  proof  of  his  sin- 
cerity  and   truth.     "Another  instance,"   he   says,  "of  my   truth- 

252 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       7^16 


I  was  not  put  to  shame;  but  as  we  spake  all  things 
to  you  in  truth,  so  our  glorying  also,  which  I  made 

15.  before  Titus,  was  found  to  be  truth.  And  his  inward 
affection  is  more  abundantly  toward  you,  whilst  he 
remembereth  the  obedience  of  you  all,  how  with  fear 

16.  and  trembling  ye  received  him.  I  rejoice  that  in 
everything  I  am  of  good  courage  concerning  you. 

fulness !  What  I  said  to  Titus  about  you,  boasting  of  you,  proved 
to  be  just  as  true  as  what  I  have  said  to  you  about  myself, 
'boastingly.'  " 

15.  His  inward  affection  is  more  abundantly  toward  you. 
Titus'  heart  goes  out  to  the  church  at  Corinth  every  time  he 
thinks  of  the  reception  which  the  church  gave  him. 

Obedience  .  .  .  fear  and  trembling.  Evidently  Titus  went 
to  Corinth  with  something  like  an  ultimatum  from  Paul.  The 
Apostle  magnified  his  authority  and  the  authority  of  his  office. 
He  did  not  hesitate  to  command.  To  Titus'  surprise  and  joy 
the  Corinthians  obeyed.  They  recognized  the  right  of  Paul  to 
enjoin  them  (see  Philem.  8).  And  they  received  Paul's  repre- 
sentative with  fear  and  trembling.  The  phrase  is  peculiarly  Paul's. 
It  is  found  four  times  only  m  the  New  Testament,  and  these  four 
times  in  Paul's  letters  (i  Cor.  2:3;  2  Cor.  7:15;  Eph.  6:5;  Phil. 
2:12).  A  study  of  these  four  indicates  that  Paul  uses  fear  and 
trembling  to  mean  an  eager  desire  to  do  the  right,  fairly  quiver- 
ing with  the  excitement  and  gravity  of  it. 

16.  I  rejoice.  Here  is  the  summary  of  the  whole  paragraph 
from  6:11  to  7:16.  It  is  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  section  and 
to  all  the  epistle  to  this  point.  "In  a  word,"  he  says,  "it  makes 
me  very  happy  to  feel  that  I  have  absolute  confidence  in  you." 

With  this  chapter  ends  the  first  and  longest  division  of  the 
epistle.  It  begins  and  ends  with  almost  ecstatic  expressions  of 
joy  and  encouragement  because  of  Titus'  report  of  the  church 
at  Corinth.  Between  the  beginning  and  end  there  is  a  defense 
of  his  sincerity  and  of  his  ministry.  All  seven  chapters  glow 
with  an  electric  charge  of  intense  emotion.  With  the  possible 
exception  of  6:14 — 7:1  it  is  a  unity  in  thought  and  style. 

It  is  followed  by  a  totally  different  subject,  chapters  7  and  8. 


253 


8:i 


IV.    The  Grace  of  Giving  (to  the  Saints  at  Jeru- 
salem) ;  8: 1 — 9:15 

8.    I.  Moreover,  brethren,  we  make  known  to  you  the 
grace  of  God  which  hath  been  given  in  the  churches 

The  Grace  of  Giving 

1.  Illustrated  in  the  Churches  of  Macedonia. 

a.  Its  source:     God;  vs.  i. 

b.  Its  wealth  of  generosity;  vss.  2,  4. 

(i)  Origin:     A  combination  of  joy  and  poverty. 
(2)  Sphere:     Trouble's  testing. 

c.  Its  spontaneity. 

(i)  Measure:     To    the    top   of   their   ability   and  beyond; 

vs.  3. 
(2)  Form  it  took:     Begging  the  favor  of  giving;  vs.  4. 

d.  Its  accompanying  devotion — first  offered  themselves;  vs.  5. 
(i)  Object  (indirect)  to  the  Lord  and  to  Paul, 

(2)  Measure:     Beyond  expectation. 

(3)  Influence:     God's  will. 

(4)  Result:      Titus'    mission — encouraging     Paul    to    send 

Titus  to  Corinth;  vs.  6. 

e.  Its  worthiness  of  imitation — abound  in  this  grace  also;  vs.  7. 
(i)   By  whom?     The  Corinthians. 

(2)  To  what  extent?    The  abounding  of  their  other  graces, 
faith  .  .  .  love. 

2.  Desired  in  the  Churches  of  Achaia. 

a.  Its  significance:     A  proof  of  genuine  love;  vss.  7,  8. 

Illustration:     The  grace  of  Jesus.    He  became  poor;  vs.  9. 
(i)  The  wonder  of  it:     Though  he  was  rich. 

(2)  The  reason  for  it:     Their  need. 

(3)  The  purpose  of  it:  That  they  might  be  rich. 

h.  Its  expediency:     It  would  be  to  their  credit;  vs.  10. 
(i)  Proof:     Only   Paul's  opinion. 
(2)   Reason:     Their  reputation  is  at  stake. 

Proof: 

{a)  They  were  first  to  begin. 

1.  Time:     Last  year. 

2.  Object:     Plan  and  accomplishment. 

254 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         8:i 

(b)  They  ought  to  carry  it  through;  vs.  ii, 

1.  Time:     Now. 

2.  Extent:     Their  ability. 

Explanation:     No  one  is  asked  to  do  more  than 
he  can;  vs.  12. 
c.  Its  obligation:     Mere  Christian  reciprocity;  vs.  13. 
(i)  Explanation: 

(a)  Negative:    Not  an  exchange  of  poverty. 
(6)  Positive:  but  a  fair  division, 

(i)  Now — their  own  abundance  helps  others. 
(2)  Another  time — they  are  helped  by  others;  vs. 
14. 
(2)  Illustration:     (Scripture)   the  manna-gathering;  vs.  15. 
3.  Administered  efficiently  in  both  provinces;  vs.  19. 

a.  Manner:     With  every  precaution  against  occasion  for  sus- 

picion, 
(i)  Not  only  in  fact;  vs.  20. 
(2)   But  also  in  appearances;  vs.  21. 

b.  Agents:     Honest,  well-accredited  men. 
(i)  Their  identity: 

(a)  Titus — v/ho  has  a  zeal  for  them  like  Paul's;  vs.  16. 
(i)  Source:     God-given. 
(2)  Proof;  vs.  17: 

(a)  He  welcomed  Paul's  exhortation. 

(b)  He  volunteered  for  the  mission. 

(6)  The  brother  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches; 
vs.  18. 
(i)  Appointment:     By  Paul. 
(2)   Election:     By  vote  of  churches, 
(a)   Purpose:     To  travel  with  Paul. 
(5)   Object:     Ministration  of  this  grace. 

(c)  End:     Furthering  God's  glory  and  Paul's 

plan. 

(c)  Our  brother,  tried  and  found  true;  vs.  22. 
(i)  Extent:     In  many  things,  many  times. 

(2)  Manner:     Especially  now  by  his  great  confi- 
dence in  the  Corinthians. 

(d)  All  of  them,  as  to  credentials;  vs.  23. 
(i)  Titus — Paul's  partner. 

(2)  The  other  two. 

(a)  Missionaries  of  churches. 

(b)  The  glory  of  Christ. 

(2)  Their  reception  at  Corinth — what  it  should  be;  vs.  24. 

(a)  A  proof  of  Corinth's  love,  before  the  churches. 

(b)  A  confirmation  of  Paul's  boast. 

255 


8:i         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

(3)  Reasons  for  sending  them  in  advance;  vss.  3,  5. 

(a)  Negative:     Not  lack  of  interest  at  Corinth;  vs.  i. 
Proof: 

(i)  Paul's  boast  of  their  f orehandedness ;  vs.  2, 
(2)  The  inspiration  of  their  zeal. 

(b)  Positive:     But  to  avoid  the  possibility  of;  vs.  3: 
(i)  Their  being  surprised  in  unreadiness. 

(2)  Their  shame,  and  Paul's,  at  the  discovery;  vs.  4, 

(c)  Positive:     To  assist  in  prearrangements;  vs.  5. 
(i)  Specification:     The  before-promised  benefit. 
(2)  Reason:     That  the  readiness  may  be 

(a)  Neg.    Not  an  expression  of  selfishness. 

(b)  Pos.    But  a  real  blessing. 

4.  Regulated  (governed)  by  the  Law  of  the  Harvest. 

a.  The  Law  in  Nature — its  two  principles;  vs.  6: 
(i)  Sow  sparingly,  reap  sparingly; 

(2)  Sow  liberally,  reap  liberally  (with  blessings). 

b.  The  law  in  Christian  life: 
(i)  Sow  liberally;  vs.  7. 

(a)  Method:     With  deliberate  purpose. 
(6)  Manner:     With  cheerfulness,  not  grudgingly. 
Incentive:     God  loves  a  cheerful  giver. 
(2)  Reap  liberally — God  will  make  all  grace  abound;  vs.  8. 

(a)  Intended  result — Twofold; 

(i)   Contentment,    because    of    sufficient    for    the 

givers'  needs; 
(2)  Opportunity  to  abound  in  every  good  work. 

(b)  Proof  (from  Scripture,  Ps.  112:9): 

The  man   who  gives   liberally   prospers   forever; 
vs.  9. 
Application:     The  Lord  of  the  Harvest  will  supply 
seed  and  fruit;  vs.  10. 

(c)  Effect — upon  the  Jerusalem  Christians: 

(i)  Many  thanksgivings  to  God;  vss.  11,  12. 
Ground: 

(a)  Their  needs  are  supplied. 

(b)  The  proof  of  the  givers'  faith;  vs.  13. 
(2)  Many  prayers  for  the  givers;  vs.  14. 

Conclusion:     Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift;  vs.  15. 

Chapters  8  and  9  take  up  the  subject  of  the  contribution  for 
the  Jerusalem  Christians  which  was  being  made,  under  Paul's 
direction,  by  the  churches  of  the  four  Roman  provinces,  Galatia, 
Asia,  Macedonia  and  Achaia.  A  reference  to  the  subject  The 
Contribution,  in  the  Introduction,  and  to  the   outline  of  these 

256 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         8:2 

of  Macedonia;  how  that  in  much  proof  of  affliction 
the  abundance  of  their  joy  and  their  deep  poverty 


two  chapters  which  is  easily  discovered  from  the  text,  makes 
detailed  comment  almost  unnecessary.  Paul  takes  occasion  not 
only  to  urge  upon  the  church  at  Corinth  to  be  ready  with  their 
quota  of  the  contribution,  but  also  to  lay  down  for  them  some 
ver>'  fundamental  principles  underlying  the  grace  of  liberality. 

He  begins  by  using  the  generosity  of  the  churches  of  Macedonia 
as  a  glorious  example,  worthy  of  imitation  by  the  churches  of 
Achaia.  Paul's  tact  in  the  use  of  praise  and  the  stimulus  of 
rivalry  is  beautifully  illustrated  in  the  two  chapters. 

8:1.  Moreover,  brethren,  marks  the  transition  to  a  totally 
different  subject 

The  grace  of  God  which  hath  been  given  in  the  churches 
of  Macedonia.  The  giving  of  the  churches  of  Macedonia  has  in 
its  unselfishness  and  in  its  lavish  generosity  been  like  God's  giv- 
ing. God's  grace  is  His  gracious  giving.  It  has  found  an  expres- 
sion in  the  giving  of  these  churches.  So  Paul  can  speak  of  their 
generosity  as  being  the  grace  of  God  exhibited  in  them. 

As  always,  Paul  speaks  in  terms  geographical  of  Roman  prov- 
inces. Macedonia  was  such  a  province.  The  churches  in  Mace- 
donia of  which  Acts  makes  mention  as  Paul's  churches  are  those 
of  Philippi,  Thessalonica  and  Beroea  (Acts  16-17). 

2.  In  much  proof  of  affliction,  i.e.,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
they  were  being  tested  by  serious  troubles.  Joy  and  .  .  .  pov- 
erty. Out  of  that  combination  of  great  joy  and  deep  poverty 
springs  a  lavish  generosity.  Poverty  was  one  of  the  afflictions 
by  which  they  were  being  tested. 

Liberality.  The  marginal  rendering  singleness  is  not  to  be 
preferred  to  liberality,  but  it  throws  light  on  the  real  significance 
of  the  word.  The  same  word  is  rendered  liberality  (9:11,  13; 
Rom.  12:8),  simplicity  (11:3),  singleness  (Eph.  6:5;  Col.  3:22), 
and  these  are  its  only  occurrences  in  the  New  Testament.  In 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  Jesus  uses  the  adjective  single.  Let 
thine  eye  be  single;  where  the  meaning  is  that  the  eyes  of  the 
heart,  like  the  eyes  in  the  head,  must  focus  and  see  like  a  single 
eye,  if  the  vision  is  to  be  perfect.  The  eyes  must  not  attempt 
to  look  in  two  directions  at  the  same  time.  So  singleness  is  the 
faculty  of  undivided  attention;  it  is  the  faculty  of  seeing  straight. 
As  applied  to  giving,  singleness  is  that  liberality  which  gives  with- 
out grudging  (9:7)  and  gives  disinterestedly.  It  does  not  look 
in  two  directions  at  the  same  time. 


8:3         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

3.  abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  ^  liberality.  For 
according  to  their  power,  I  bear  witness,  yea  and 
beyond  their  power,  they  gave  of  their  own  accord, 

4.  beseeching  us  with  much  intreaty  in  regard  of  this 
grace  and  the  fellowship  in  the  ministering  to  the 

5.  saints:  and  this,  not  as  we  had  hoped,  but  first  they 
gave  their  own  selves  to  the  Lord,  and  to  us  by  the 

6.  will  of  God.  Insomuch  that  we  exhorted  Titus,  that 
as  he  had  made  a  beginning  before,  so  he  would  also 

^  Gr.,  singleness. 

3.  According  to  their  power.  Better  than  power  would  be 
ability,  i.e.,  ability  to  give.  To  the  top  of  their  financial  ability 
and  beyond  it  they  gave.  The  awkwardness  of  the  long  sentence 
(vss.  3-5),  which  by  the  use  of  italics  in  the  English  version  is 
somewhat  lessened,  is  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  graceful- 
ness of  the  tribute  Paul  pays  to  the  Macedonian  churches.  Their 
spontaneity  takes  the  form  of  requesting  the  privilege  of  a  part 
in  this  contribution.  And  much  as  Paul  had  expected  of  them 
they  passed  beyond  his  expectations,  voluntarily  offering  to  him 
themselves  as  well  as  their  money  for  whatever  part  in  the 
Lord's  service  they  might  be  permitted  to  take. 

4.  This  grace  and  the  fellowship.  Fellowship  means  shar- 
ing. It  might  be  paraphrased:  begging  us  with  much  urgency 
for  the  opportunity  of  giving  {grace),  i.e.,  for  their  share  (fel- 
lowship) in  being  of  service  (ministering)  to  their  fellow  Chris- 
tians. Possibly  Paul,  on  account  of  their  poverty,  had  tried  to 
dissuade  them  from  taking  any  large  part  in  the  contribution. 

5.  Not  as  we  had  hoped,  i.e.,  beyond  Paul's  expectation. 
But  first,  i.e.,  most  important  of  all.  To  the  Lord  and  to  us. 
They  offered  themselves  to  the  service  of  Christ,  and  then  put 
themselves  at  Paul's  disposal  for  whatever  part  in  Christ's  service 
he  might  suggest. 

By  the  will  of  God.  This  may  be  Paul's  explanation  of  the 
influence  back  of  such  devotion.  He  referred  every  good  influ- 
ence to  God's  will.  Or  it  may  be  the  answer  which  the  Mace- 
donian churches  gave  to  any  protest  on  his  part  that  they  were 
giving  beyond  their  ability,  or  that  they  ought  not  to  put  them- 
selves without  any  reservation  under  his  direction. 

6.  Insomuch.  This  introduces  the  result  of  the  devotion  and 
generosity  of  the  Macedonian  churches.  By  them  Paul  has  been 
encouraged  to  urge  upon  Titus  that  he  return  to  Corinth  where 

258 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         8:9 

7.  complete  in  you  this  grace  also.  But  as  ye  abound  in 
everything,  in  faith,  and  utterance,  and  knowledge, 
and  in  all  earnestness,  and  in  ^  your  love  to  us,  see 

8.  that  ye  abound  in  this  grace  also.  I  speak  not  by 
way  of  commandment,  but  as  proving  through  the 
earnestness  of  others  the  sincerity  also  of  your  love. 

9.  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that, 
though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 

^  Some   ancient  authorities  read   our  love   to  you. 

at  some  previous  time,  not  on  his  recent  visit,  he  had  laid  the 
foundations  for  the  Corinthians'  part  in  the  contribution,  and 
bring  the  matter  to  a  successful  conclusion. 

This  grace  also.  The  grace  of  giving  to  the  Jerusalem  Chris- 
tians. By  the  also  Paul  tactfully  implies  that  this  is  not  the 
only  grace  of  his  Corinthian  readers,  and  then  he  goes  on  to 
make  specifications. 

7.  But  as  ye  abound  in  everything.  Paul  chooses  his  words 
very  carefully.  He  is  tactful  but  discriminating.  There  are 
graces  to  which  he  does  not  refer,  and  which  his  readers  lacked. 
In  I  Cor.  1:5  he  mentions  utterance  and  knowhdge  as  the  gifts 
in  which  they  are  enriched.  To  these  he  here  adds  faith,  earnest- 
ness and  love  to  us.  (The  reading  of  the  text  is  much  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  that  of  the  margin.)  In  all  of  these  he  can  honestly 
say  that  the  Corinthians  abound. 

8.  With  verses  7  and  8  Paul  turns  from  the  illustration  to  the 
application,  from  Macedonia  to  Achaia.  What  Macedonia  has 
done  Achaia  ought  to  do.  He  does  not  use  the  name  of  the 
province  Achaia  until  9:2,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  is  stimu- 
lating a  generous  rivalry  between  two  provinces.  He  does  it 
not  by  way  of  commandment.  Though  he  often  waived  the 
right  to  command,  he  always  insisted  that  as  an  apostle  he  had 
the  authority   (Philem.  8,  9). 

The  sincerity  also  of  your  love.  Although  he  has  just 
spoken  of  their  love  for  him  (vs.  7)  in  which  they  abound, 
verse  8  shows  that  it  is  not  their  personal  loyalty  to  him  that 
he  wishes  to  bring  to  the  proof,  but  their  love  for  their  fellow 
Christians  who  are  in  need.  Generous  giving  is  sufficient  evidence 
of  the  sincerity  of  Christian  love  (see  i  Jn.  3:17-18).  There  is 
no  doubt  about  Macedonia.  Paul  expects  the  same  results  when 
Achaia's  love  is  put  to  the  test. 

9.  For    introduces    the    illustration    which    explains    what    he 

259 


8:io       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  become  rich. 
10.    And  herein  I  give  my  judgement:  for  this  is  expedi- 
ent for  you,  who  were  the  first  to  make  a  beginning 

means.  Love  which  not  only  gives  but  gives  up  may  be  stamped 
as  sterling.     It  stands  the  test. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  favorite  phrase 
of  Paul's  has  become  specially  familiar  from  his  use  of  it  as  a 
closing  benediction  to  his  letters  (i  Cor.  16:23;  2  Cor.  13:14; 
Gal.  6:18;  Phil.  4:23;  I  Thess.  5:28;  2  Thess.  3:18;  Philem. 
25).  Its  use  here  may  help  to  make  his  benedictions  more  vivid. 
The  gracious  giving  (grace)  of  Christ  they  well  knew.  It  was 
Paul's  one  great  theme.  The  emphatic  phrase  is  for  your 
sakes.  Because  of  his  love  for  the  Corinthians  Christ  gave  him- 
self and  gave  up  his  rich  estate.  It  is  the  supreme  example  of 
genuine  love  (see  i  Jn.  3:16;  Rom.  5:8). 

He  became  poor.  Paul's  thought  is  almost  surely  of  the 
riches  that  Christ  had  before  the  incarnation,  which  he  gave  up 
in  order  to  become  a  man  (Phil.  2:6-8).  But  neither  here  nor 
elsewhere  does  he  elaborate  this  thought.  His  references  to  the 
preexistent  Christ  are  always  vague  and  always  to  point  another 
truth.  The  reference  here  is  not  to  the  poverty  of  the  Nazareth 
home  and  the  carpenter  shop  in  particular,  but  to  the  eternal 
choice  which  Christ  made  of  the  glory  of  the  cross  instead  of 
the  glory  of  riches,  honor  and  reputation.  The  temptation  scene 
in  his  life  illustrates  that  choice.  Even  in  Col.  1:16-17  it  is 
the  preeminence  rather  than  the  preexistence  of  Christ  which  is 
Paul's  emphasis. 

10.  Verse  9  is  parenthetical  in  its  explanation.  Verse  10  takes 
up  the  thought  of  verse  8.  Paul  does  not  command,  but  he  gives 
his  judgment.  This  is  expedient.  Their  reputation  is  at  stake. 
They  cannot  afford  to  let  a  good  beginning  end  in  a  failure,  not 
merely  because  of  what  others  may  think,  but  because  of  their 
own  moral  character. 

A  year  ago,  i.e.,  last  year;  not  necessarily  twelve  months  ago. 
It  was,  however,  some  time  before  this,  or  there  would  be  no 
point  to  his  boast  in  9:2. 

Not  only  to  do  but  also  to  will.  It  would  seem  more 
natural  to  say  "not  only  to  will  but  also  to  do."  But  Paul  uses 
the  other  order  intentionally.  The  Corinthians  began  their  plans 
before  the  churches  of  any  other  province  got  started,  and  their 
beginning  was  not  only  a  single  act  (to  do)  but  a  continued 
purpose  (to  will)  to  persist.  Probably  the  doing  had  been  in- 
terrupted by  the  church  troubles  through  which  the  Corinthians 

260 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       8:14 

11.  a  year  ago,  not  only  to  do,  but  also  to  will.  But  now 
complete  the  doing  also;  that  as  there  was  the  readi- 
ness to  will,  so  there  may  be  the  completion  also  out 

12.  of  your  ability.  For  if  the  readiness  is  there,  it  is 
acceptable  according  as  a  man  hath,  not  according  as 

13.  he  hath  not.    For  /  say  not  this,  that  others  may  be 

14.  eased,   and  ye   distressed:    but   by   equality;    your 

had  just  passed,  but  the  purpose  to  do  was  still  present.    To  this 
Paul  appeals.     Verse  11  makes  this  evident. 

11.  Out  of  your  ability,  i.e.,  according  to  your  means.  The 
following  verse  explains  the  phrase.  Paul  is  not  insisting  that 
they  should  give  beyond  their  power  as  the  Macedonians  had 
done  (vs.  3). 

12.  For.  Again  for  introduces  an  explanation  of  that  which 
is  implied  but  not  actually  expressed.  It  is  indirect.  The  implied 
thought  is:  I  do  not  ask  you  to  give  beyond  your  ability — jor 
it  is  the  spirit  of  willingness  that  makes  the  giving  acceptable, 
no  matter  whether  a  man  has  much  to  give  or  little. 

According  as  a  man  hath.  It  is  not  necessary  to  supply 
the  subject  in  italics  a  man.  The  readiness  might  be  the  subject. 
Then  it  would  read:  if  the  spirit  of  willingness  is  in  evidence  it 
is  acceptable  according  as  it  hath,  not  according  as  it  hath  not. 
The  latter  phrase  is  awkward,  but  its  meaning  is  plain.  A  tactful 
person  receives  a  gift  from  a  poor  man  graciously,  thinking  of 
what  the  man  has  to  give,  much  or  little,  not  thinking  of  his 
poverty.  He  accepts  it  with  gratitude;  he  does  not  protest  that 
the  poor  man  cannot  afford  it. 

13.  For.  Another  explanatory  for.  It  may  be  coordinate 
with  the  for  of  verse  12,  and  give  another  explanation  for  asking 
them  to  give  only  according  to  their  means.  But  it  is  better  to 
carry  its  explanation  back  to  the  plea  for  the  contribution, 
abound  in  this  grace  also  (vs.  7),  for  it  carries  the  obligation  of 
Christian  reciprocity— egwo/ffy  he  calls  it.  It  has  its  negative  and 
positive  side.  It  does  not  mean  an  exchange  of  poverties,  but 
only  that  those  Christians  who  have  are  under  obligation  to  help 
those  who  have  not.  Sometime  the  tables  may  be  turned.  Then 
the  obligation  will  rest  upon  the  Jerusalem  Christians  to  send  a 
contribution  to  Corinth. 

14.  But  by  equality.  This  is  vague.  It  is  better  to  drop  the 
semicolon  which  follows  it  and  render  it  something  like  this: 
But  on  the  principle  of  fairness  (equalization,  equity,  equality) 
your  abundance  .  .  . 

261 


8:i5       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


abundance  being  a  supply  at  this  present  time  for 
their  want,  that  their  abundance  also  may  become 
a  supply  for  your  want;  that  there  may  be  equality: 

15.  as  it  is  written,  He  that  gathered  much  had  noth- 
ing over;  and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack. 

16.  But  thanks  be  to  God,  which  putteth  the  same 


That  their  abundance  also.  How  the  tables  could  be  turned 
so  that  Jerusalem  would  have  the  privilege  and  duty  of  sending 
help  to  Corinth  Paul  does  not  say.  It  is  simply  a  possible 
hypothesis  to  illustrate  what  he  means  by  equality  or  fairness. 
In  Rom.  15:27  Paul  speaks  of  the  Gentiles  paying  their  spiritual 
mdebtedness  to  Jerusalem  with  carnal  coin.  He  is  there  referring 
to  this  same  contribution.  But  that  thought  is  entirely  lacking 
here.  He  does  not  ask  the  Corinthians  to  pay  debts,  but  to  be 
generous  and  fair. 

15.  As  it  is  written.  An  illustration  taken  from  the  manna- 
gathering  of  Ex.  16:18.  The  point  of  the  illustration  has  nothing 
to  do  with  generous  giving,  but  only  with  a  fair  proportion  of 
food  for  every  man.  It  suggests  itself  to  Paul  as  an  Old  Testa- 
ment instance,  not  of  a  community  of  goods,  but  of  a  principle 
of  equality  in  the  supply  of  the  necessities  of  life.  Each  m-an 
bad  just  what,  and  only  what  he  needed. 

16.  Abruptly  Paul  turns  from  the  exhortation  for  a  generous 
contribution  on  the  part  of  Corinth,  to  a  statement  of  the 
efficiency  and  honesty  with  which  such  a  financial  experiment  has 
been  and  must  be  administered.  Paul  had  good  business  prin- 
ciples. He  was  not  careless  in  money  matters.  He  took  every 
precaution  that  there  should  be  no  suspicion  that  some  of  the 
money  stuck  to  his  fingers.  Verses  8:16—9:5  have  to  do  with 
this  matter  of  efficient  administration.  They  take  up  the  manner 
and  the  agents.  Verses  20-21  speak  briefly  of  the  manner.  All 
the  rest  is  about  the  agents. 

Thanks  be  to  God.  The  transition  to  the  new  thought  is 
made  by  another  of  Paul's  exclamations  of  gratitude.  Again  his 
word  thanks  is  identified  with  his  word  grace.  It  is  unfortunate 
that  the  English  cannot  reproduce  the  identity  (see  note  on 
2:14).  Five  times  already  in  chapter  8  he  has  used  grace  for 
gracious  giving.  Here  he  uses  the  same  word  for  gracious  accept- 
ing, viz.,  thanks. 

Titus  is  the  first  of  the  three  agents  and  the  only  one  men- 
tioned by  name.  Paul  refers  to  him  as  one  who  had  the  same 
earnest  care  for  the  Cormthians  that  he  himself  had.     Earnest 

262 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       8:19 

17.  earnest  care  for  you  into  the  heart  of  Titus.  For  in- 
deed he  accepted  our  exhortation;  but  being  himself 
very  earnest,  he  went  forth  unto  you  of  his  own 

18.  accord.  And  we  have  sent  together  with  him  the 
brother  whose  praise  in  the  gospel  is  spread  through 

19.  all  the  churches;  and  not  only  so,  but  who  was  also 


care  is  the  word  that  is  rendered  earnestness  as  one  of  Corinth's 
graces  (vs.  7).  This  whole  paragraph  is  an  opportunity  for  the 
study  of  Paul's  tact.  He  is  graceful  and  generous  in  introducing 
his  friends. 

17.  Titus  needs  no  introduction  to  Corinth,  but  he  receives 
a  few  words  of  well-deserved  commendation. 

For  introduces  an  explanation  that  is  only  a  conj&rmation  of 
Titus'  earnest  care.  He  had  accepted  Paul's  exhortation  to  go  to 
Corinth,  but  nevertheless  it  was  of  his  own  volition  and  because 
of  his  great  personal  interest  in  the  Corinthians  that  he  went. 

He  went  forth  unto  you.  The  reference  is  not  to  a  former 
visit,  but  to  the  coming  visit  as  bearer  of  this  letter.  A  better 
reading  would  be,  he  has  gone  forth,  or  he  goes  forth  unto  you. 

18.  The  brother  whose  praise  in  the  gospel  is  spread 
through  all  the  churches.  The  second  of  the  agents  is  name- 
less. Not  only  is  he  appointed  by  Paul  to  accompany  Titus 
to  Corinth,  but  he  had  previously  been  elected  by  the  churches 
to  travel  with  Paul  in  the  interests  of  this  contribution.  At 
least  twelve  different  companions  of  Paul  have  been  suggested  as 
the  brother  whom  Paul  leaves  unnamed.  In  the  list  are  such 
names  as  Barnabas,  Silas,  Mark  and  Luke.  There  can  be  no 
certainty,  but  Luke  is  altogether  the  most  probable.  A  strange 
silence  in  the  Acts  covers  not  only  Luke  but  Titus,  and  also  the 
whole  matter  of  the  contribution.  Luke  seems  nevertheless  to 
have  been  the  closest  of  Paul's  companions  when  the  contribu- 
tion was  taken  to  Jerusalem  as  well  as  in  the  following  years, 
and  no  one  so  well  fits  the  requirements  for  this  unnamed  dele- 
gate as  he.  No  reference  of  course  is  made  to  the  Gospel  accord- 
ing to  Luke  in  the  phrase  in  the  gospel,  for  that  gospel  had  not 
yet  been  written. 

19.  Appointed  by  the  churches.  What  churches,  Paul  does 
not  say.  Possibly  the  churches  of  Asia  and  especially  Ephesus, 
where  Paul  was  located  when  the  plans  for  the  contribution  were 
being  made;  but  more  probably  the  churches  of  Macedonia  from 
among  which  he  is  now  writing. 

To  travel  with  us.     Most  of  the  arrangements  for  the  con- 

263 


8:2o       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

appointed  by  the  churches  to  travel  with  us  in  the 
matter  of  this  grace,  which  is  ministered  by  us  to  the 

20.  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  to  shew  our  readiness:  avoid- 
ing this,  that  any  man  should  blame  us  in  the  matter 

21.  oj  this  bounty  which  is  ministered  by  us:  for  we  take 
thought  for  things  honourable,  not  only  in  the  sight 

22.  of  the  Lord,  but  also  in  the  sight  of  men.    And  we 
have  sent  with  them  our  brother,  whom  we  have 

tribution  seem  to  have  been  carried  out  by  letter  or  by  mes- 
senger. The  travel  was  doubtless  the  voyage  which  would  finally 
take  the  accumulated  funds  to  Jerusalem.  Other  delegates  are 
elected  by  the  churches  for  the  same  purpose. 

And  to  shew  our  readiness,  i.e.,  our  earnest  intention.  This 
second  delegate  was  chosen  by  the  churches  to  travel  with  Paul 
for  this  purpose,  viz.,  the  furtherance  of  God's  glory  and  Paul's 
plan. 

20.  Verses  20  and  21  give  an  insight  into  Paul's  business 
methods.  He  has  asked  the  churches  to  appoint  someone  to 
travel  with  him  in  the  matter  oj  this  grace  in  order  to  avoid  any 
occasion  of  suspicion  that  he  might  himself  have  been  careless  in 
the  handling  of  the  money.  There  is  always  danger  in  being  the 
sole  administrator  of  trust  funds.  It  is  much  to  Paul's  credit 
that  he  realized  it. 

This  bounty,  i.e.,  this  big  sum  of  money  which  is  being  con- 
tributed. 

21.  For  we  take  thought  for  things  honorable.  Paul 
adapts  a  quotation  from  Prov.  .^:4.  He  was  not  satisfied  merely 
to  have  a  clear  conscience;  he  was  careful  about  appearances  also. 
He  made  it  a  point  to  be  honest  not  only  as  God  saw  him,  but 
even  as  men  saw  him. 

22.  Our  brother.  The  third  member  of  the  party.  He  too 
is  unnamed.  It  is  even  more  impossible  to  identify  him  than  the 
brother  of  verse  18.  Fewer  guesses  have  been  made,  and  with 
less  general  agreement.  It  is  better  to  leave  him,  as  Paul  does, 
distinguished  only  by  his  sterling  qualities. 

Proved  earnest.  Earnest  is  a  favorite  word  of  Paul's  in  this 
epistle.  It  has  in  it  the  idea  of  haste,  alacrity,  eagerness,  as  well 
as  earnestness.  Many  times  and  in  many  things  Paul  has  tested 
this  brother  and  found  him  eager  and  efficient.  He  knows  the 
story  of  Corinth,  though  he  may  never  have  been  there,  he  be- 
lieves in  the  Corinthians,  and  he  is  specially  eager  to  have  a  part 
in  this  mission. 

264 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       8:24 

many  times  proved  earnest  in  many  things,  but  now 
much  more  earnest,  by  reason  of  the  great  confidence 

23.  which  he  hath  in  you.  Whether  any  inquire  about 
Titus,  he  is  my  partner  and  my  fellow-worker  to  you- 
ward ;  or  our  brethren,  they  are  the  ^  messengers  of 

24.  the  churches,  they  are  the  glory  of  Christ.  '^  Shew  ye 
therefore  unto  them  in  the  face  of  the  churches  the 
proof  of  your  love,  and  of  our  glorying  on  your 
behalf. 


^  Gr.,  Apostles. 

'Or,  Shew  ye  therefore  in  the  face   .    .    .    on  your  behalf  unto  them. 

23.  Whether  any  inquire  about  Titus.  Paul  had  a  gift  for 
recommendation.  He  is  at  his  best  in  this  verse.  The  bearers 
of  this  letter  will  lose  nothing  of  prestige  when  the  readers  have 
finished  reading  it.  Titus  should  be  well  known  in  Corinth  by 
this  time  for  his  own  services,  but  Paul  puts  his  commendation 
in  this  form.  He  is  Paul's  partner  and  associate  in  all  that  con- 
cerns the  church  at  Corinth. 

Or  our  brethren.  Of  the  two  nameless  envoys  Paul  uses  two 
memorable  descriptive  phrases:  They  are  the  messengers  of 
the  churches.  The  word  Paul  used  was  apostles.  As  he  was 
an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  these  two  men  are  apostles  of  the 
churches.  Missionaries  would  perhaps  be  better  than  messengers. 
An  apostle  is  one  who  is  sent  out  on  a  special  mission. 

They  are  the  glory  of  Christ.  Not,  they  are  an  honor  to 
Christ,  but  they  are  the  splendor  of  Christ.  Where  they  go, 
there  goes  the  splendor  of  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ;  they  are 
glorious  men.  Nothing  more  genuinely  complimentary  was  ever 
by  way  of  introduction  said  of  anyone. 

24.  In  the  face  of  the  churches,  i.e.,  just  as  if  the  churches 
which  they  represent  were  there  in  person  to  witness  the  demon- 
stration. 

The  proof.  A  literal  rendering  would  be  demonstrate  the 
demonstration  of  your  love.  Paul  wanted  them  to  be  demon- 
strative in  its  real  sense. 

Our  glorying  on  your  behalf.  The  reading  of  the  margin 
is  to  be  preferred.  The  Corinthians  are  urged  to  prove  by  actual 
demonstration  that  their  love  for  Paul  was  genuine,  and  that 
all  the  boasts  regarding  them  which  Paul  had  made  to  the  three 
delegates  were  warranted. 

265 


9:i         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

9.    I.  For  as  touching  the  ministering  to  the  saints,  it  is 

2 .  superfluous  for  me  to  write  to  you :  for  I  know  your 
readiness,  of  which  I  glory  on  your  behalf  to  them  of 
Macedonia,  that  Achaia  hath  been  prepared  for  a 
year  past ;   and  ^  your  zeal  hath  stirred  up  ^  very 

3.  many  of  them.     But  I  have  sent  the  brethren,  that 

^  Or,    emulation   of   you.  ^  Gr.,  the  more  part. 

9:1.  With  the  beginning  of  chapter  9  Paul  turns  to  the  reasons 
for  sending  these  three  men  in  advance  of  his  own  coming.  It 
is  the  third  thing  he  says  about  these  agents  of  the  Contribution 
plan.  He  has  spoken  of  the  identity  of  the  men,  who  and  what 
they  were;  of  their  expected  reception  at  Corinth;  and  now  of 
the  reasons  for  their  going  on  at  once,  without  waiting  for  him 
to  go  with  them.  There  are  three  reasons;  the  first  is  negative, 
the  other  two  are  positive.  First,  it  is  not  lack  of  interest  at 
Corinth. 

For.  A  study  of  Paul's  use  of  for  is  always  profitable.  This 
for  shows  the  close  connection  which  chapter  9  has  with  chapter 
8.  It  gives  the  reason  for  the  confident  tone  of  the  preceding 
verse;  as  if  he  said:  Prove  to  the  churches  that  our  glorying 
on  your  behalf  is  warranted.  I  know  you  will,  for  I  am  so  sure 
of  your  readiness  that  it  is  superfluous  for  me  to  keep  writing 
to  you  about  the  contribution. 

The  ministering  to  the  saints,  i.e.,  the  contribution  for  the 
aid  of  the  Jerusalem  Christians. 

2.  For  I  know  your  readiness.  This  for  gives  the  proof 
that  it  is  superfluous  to  keep  writing.  Having  urged  the  example 
of  the  generosity  of  Macedonia  (8:1-5)  Paul  now  very  tactfully 
confesses  that  he  has  been  using  the  readiness  of  Achaia  to  spur 
on  the  Macedonians,  boasting  that  Achaia  had  her  preparations 
all  made  last  year.  He  confesses  also  that  the  ardor  of  Achaia, 
as  he  had  pictured  it,  had  been  largely  instrumental  in  spurring 
on  the  Macedonians  to  their  splendid  liberality. 

Achaia.  The  Roman  province  of  which  Corinth  was  the 
capital.  Paul  as  usual  speaks  in  terms  of  Roman  provinces  when 
using  geographical  terms.     For  a  year  past.     See  note  on  8:10. 

Your  zeal,  i.e.,  your  fire,  your  ardor,  as  Paul  had  pictured  it 
to  Macedonia.  The  reading  of  the  text  is  to  be  preferred  to  the 
alternative  reading  of  the  margin,  both  here  and  in  the  case  of 
very  many  of  them. 

3.  But  I  have  sent  the  brethren.     This  is  the  first  positive 

266 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS         9^5 

our  glorying  on  your  behalf  may  not  be  made  void  in 
this  respect;  that,  even  as  I  said,  ye  may  be  pre- 

4.  pared:  lest  by  any  means,  if  there  come  with  me  any 
of  Macedonia,  and  find  you  unprepared,  we  (that 
we  say  not,  ye)    should  be  put  to  shame  in  this 

5.  confidence.  I  thought  it  necessary  therefore  to  in- 
treat  the  brethren,  that  they  would  go  before  unto 
you,  and  make  up  beforehand  your  aforepromised 
^  bounty,  that  the  same  might  be  ready,  as  a  matter 
of  bounty,  and  not  of  ^  extortion. 

^  Gr.,   blessing.  ^  Or,   covetousness. 

reason  for  sending  the  brethren,  Titus  and  his  two  companions, 
in  advance.  It  is  to  avoid  two  possibilities,  the  possibility  that 
after  all  Achaia  might  be  surprised  in  unreadiness;  and  the  possi- 
biUty  that  both  Achaia  and  Paul  might  be  embarrassed  in  con- 
sequence. 

That,  even  as  I  said,  ye  may  be  prepared.  That  they  had 
been  ready  last  year  did  not  necessarily  prove  that  they  were 
ready  now.  Such  readiness  needs  to  be  progressive  and  con- 
tinuous. 

4.  If  there  come  with  me  any  of  Macedonia.  Paul  is  still 
planning  to  make  his  visit  to  Corinth.  He  will  go  from  Mace- 
donia, and  some  of  those  to  whom  he  has  been  boasting  about 
Achaia's  readiness  may  accompany  him. 

Put  to  shame  in  this  confidence,  i.e.,  embarrassed  because 
of  Paul's  confidence  in  their  readiness. 

5.  The  second  positive  reason  for  sending  the  brethren  in 
advance  is  that  they  may  assist  in  the  prearrangements. 

That  they  would  go  before.  This  is  the  first  mention  of 
the  purpose  to  send  these  three  brethren  in  advance,  although  it 
is  implied  in  verse  4.     Here  it  is  made  very  emphatic. 

Make  up  beforehand,  i.e.,  before  Paul  comes  to  Corinth. 
Paul  did  not  desire  to  use  any  money-getting  expedients  after 
he  arrived.  The  three  agents  of  the  fund  could  be  of  use  in  a 
business  way  in  helping  to  make  up,  not  merely  any  deficiency, 
but  all  the  accounts. 

Your  aforepromised  bounty.  Bounty  is  another  word  for 
the  contribution.  Paul  has  already  called  it  a  grace  (8:4),  a 
fellowship  in  ministering  (8:4),  a  bounty  (8:20,  meaning  big 
contribution),   and  in  9:12   he  calls  it  a  service.     But  here  his 

267 


9:6         EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

6.  But  this  /  say,  He  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap 
also  sparingly;  and  he  that  soweth  ^  bountifully  shall 

7.  reap  also  ^  bountifully.    Let  each  man  do  according 
as  he  hath  purposed  in  his  heart;  not  ^  grudgingly,  or 

1  Gr.,  with  blessings.  *  Gr.,  of  sorrow. 

word  is  blessing.  Bounty  does  not  give  his  meaning  and  the 
alternative  reading  is  better.  It  is  called  benefit,  a  benediction,  a 
blessing,  and  it  ought  to  be  made  so  in  fact.  The  word  blessing 
(benediction)  originally  refers  to  spoken  praise  or  petition;  then 
the  spoken  blessing  finds  more  adequate  expression  in  deeds. 

And  not  of  extortion.  The  rendering  of  the  A.  V.  and  of 
the  margin  is  better,  covetousness.  Extortion  would  seem  to 
imply  that  if  they  were  not  ready  when  Paul  came  he  would 
resort  to  strenuous  measures.  But  it  is  not  a  threat.  Paul  hopes 
that  the  three  envoys  will  succeed  in  making  this  gift  what  it  is 
meant  to  be,  a  real  blessing,  and  not  an  expression  of  a  spirit 
of  selfishness.  Covetousness  is  a  better  rendering  than  extortion 
only  as  it  means  a  greedy  desire  to  have  more,  and  so  to  keep 
more,  for  oneself. 

6.  But  this  I  say.  Here  begins  the  conclusion  to  what  Paul 
has  to  say  about  this  grace.  It  is  governed  by  the  law  of  the 
harvest. 

He  that  soweth  bountifully.  The  word  bountifully  makes 
a  good  contrast  to  sparingly,  and  it  links  the  thought  to  the 
bounty  of  the  preceding  verse,  but  it  misses  the  figure  in  Paul's 
words.  The  alternative  reading  with  blessings  gives  the  figure 
but  is  not  quite  accurate.  A  literal  rendering  would  be  upon 
blessings,  and  the  picture  in  the  phrase  is  of  a  sower  who  sows 
on  tlie  theory  of  blessings,  with  the  purpose  or  intention  of  bless- 
ings, and  hence  generously.  It  is  a  picturesque  metaphor,  re- 
peated in  shall  reap  also  bountifully.  The  only  difference  is 
that  the  sowing  is  on  the  theory  of  giving  blessings,  while  the 
reaping  will  be  on  the  theory  of  blessings  deservedly  received. 

7.  Here  begins  the  application  of  Nature's  law  of  the  harvest 
to  Christian  life.  Sowing  upon  the  theory  of  giving  blessings 
involves  method,  deliberate,  purposeful,  intelligent.  As  he  hath 
purposed  in  his  heart  means  as  he  hath  deliberately  chosen  in 
advance  to  do.  It  is  not  impulsive  or  spasmodic.  It  also  in- 
volves a  cheerful  manner,  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity. 
Grudgingly  is  literally  out  of  sorrow;  of  necessity  is  out  of  com- 
pulsion. 

God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.     Cheerful  in  Paul's  Greek  is 

268 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       9:10 

8.  of  necessity:  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.  And 
God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  unto  you ;  that 
ye,  having  always  all  sufficiency  in  everything,  may 

9.  abound  unto  every  good  work:  as  it  is  written, 

He  hath  scattered  abroad,  he  hath  given  to  the 

poor; 
His  righteousness  abideth  for  ever. 
10.    And  he  that  supplieth  seed  to  the  sower  and  bread  for 
food,  shall  supply  and  multiply  your  seed  for  sowing, 


a  very  emphatic  word.  He  quotes  rather  loosely  from  Prov. 
22:8,  where  the  thought  is  about  sowing  and  reaping,  and  where, 
in  the  Greek  version  of  the  Old  Testament,  there  is  added  to 
what  is  found  in  our  English  version,  "A  cheerful  man  and  a 
giver  God  blesses." 

8.  To  make  all  grace  abound  unto  you.  This  is  the  Chris- 
tian's reaping  with  blessings.  Grace  may  mean  every  Christian 
grace,  of  which  the  grace  of  liberality  is  one;  or,  more  probably, 
it  means  God's  grace,  God's  gracious  giving,  including  both 
spiritual  and  temporal  gifts.  The  context  favors  the  latter  mean- 
ing. The  intended  result,  the  proof  and  the  effect  of  this  harvest 
of  God's  grace  follow  in  the  concluding  verses. 

That  ye,  having  .  .  .  may  abound.  It  is  a  twofold  result 
that  God  purposes.  His  gifts  will  result  first  in  the  contentment 
of  the  giver  because  he  has  sufficient  for  his  own  needs  always, 
in  everything  (see  Phil.  4:19).  This  may  be  actual  or  psychologi- 
cal. The  man  who  gives  liberally  often  loses  any  exaggerated 
idea  of  his  own  needs.  And  then  second,  he  will  abound  unto 
every  good  work;  he  will  have  larger  opportunity  for  giving. 

9.  As  it  is  written.  A  quotation  from  Ps.  112:9,  which  is  a 
description  of  the  man  who  feareth  the  Lord.  He  hath  scat- 
tered abroad  is  suggested  to  Paul's  mind  by  the  metaphor  of 
the  sower,  and  he  uses  the  quotation  as  a  Scripture  proof  that 
the  liberal  man  has  enough  for  himself  and  to  give  to  others. 

His  righteousness  in  the  Psalm  means  either  prosperity,  or 
else  (see  Matt.  6:1)  almsgiving,  generosity.  These  are  not  the 
usual  meanings  of  righteo-usness  with  Paul;  but  this  is  a  quota- 
tion. 

10.  And  he  that  supplieth  seed.  Using  Old  Testament 
phrases  Paul  puts  the  personal  application  to  the  Scripture  proof 
of  verse  9.  Is.  55:10  and  Hos.  10:12  seem  to  be  the  sources 
of    his   language,    but    they    are    not    quoted    accurately.      It    is 

269 


grii       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

11.  and  increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteousness:  ye  be- 
ing enriched  in  everything  unto  all  ^  liberality,  which 

12.  worketh  through  us  thanksgiving  to  God.  For  the 
ministration  of  this  service  not  only  filleth  up  the 
measure  of  the  wants  of  the  saints,  but  aboundeth 

13.  also  through  many  thanksgivings  unto  God;  seeing 

^  Gr.,  singleness. 

especially  the  word  righteousness,  which  again  means  bountiful 
giving,  that  links  this  verse  to  verse  9.  The  Lord  of  the  harvest 
who  supplies  the  seed  to  the  sower  and  gives  the  harvested  grain 
as  bread  for  eating,  will  also  supply  seed  to  the  giver  and  increase 
the  fruits  of  his  bountiful  giving. 

11.  Verses  9  and  10  are  parenthetical.  Verses  11  to  14  con- 
tinue the  thought  of  verse  8,  and  enumerate  certain  of  the  results 
that  the  bountiful  grace  of  God  will  accomplish.  But  these  re- 
sults are  in  the  receivers  of  the  contribution  instead  of  the  givers. 
The  effect  on  the  Jerusalem  Christians  will  be  twofold;  they  will 
overflow  with  thanksgivings  to  God,  and  they  will  pray  for 
their  benefactors  with  earnest  solicitation. 

Ye  being  enriched.  The  ye  goes  back  in  its  reference  to  the 
ye  of  verse  8,  and  the  thought  of  verse  8  is  repeated;  enriched 
in  everything  by  God's  grace  they  will  abound  unto  every  good 
work,  i.e.,  unto  all  liberality.  But  Paul  repeats  the  thought  in 
order  to  bring  out  the  resultant  effect  on  the  Jerusalem  Chris-  ' 
tians.  It  will  be  that  which  seemed  to  Paul  always  the  result 
most  to  be  desired — many  thanksgivings  unto  God  (cf.  i:ii). 

Through  us,  i.e.,  through  Paul,  who  is  the  agent  of  the  con- 
tribution. 

Thanksgiving  to  God.  This  is  the  subject  of  verses  11-13. 
It  is  one  of  the  very  greatest  of  the  anticipated  results  of  the 
contribution.    Verse  12  merely  amplifies  the  thought. 

12.  For  introduces  an  explanation  which  is  merely  confirma- 
tory.    It  repeats  the  thought  with  additions  for  emphasis. 

The  ministration  of  this  service.  Another  phrase  to  char- 
acterize the  contribution.  This  word  service  has  in  it  the  idea 
of  a  public  or  community  service  rendered  as  an  offering  to  God. 

Not  only  filleth  up.  This  is  of  course  its  main  purpose,  it 
goes  without  saying.  Conditions  of  poverty  at  Jerusalem  are  to 
be  alleviated.  But  of  this  part  of  the  result  Paul  says  very  little. 
The  chorus  of  thanksgivings  which  will  ascend  to  God  is  his  chief 
cause  of  gratitude. 

270 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       9:15 

that  through  the  proving  of  you  by  this  ministration 
they  glorify  God  for  the  obedience  of  your  confession 
unto  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  for  the  ^  liberality  of 

14.  your  contribution  unto  them  and  unto  all;  while  they 
themselves  also,  with  supplication  on  your  behalf, 
long  after  you  by  reason  of  the  exceeding  grace  of 

15.  God  in  you.  Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable 
gift. 

^  Gr.,    singleness. 

13.  Seeing  that  .  .  .  they  glorify  God.  This  is  the  ground 
of  their  thanksgivings.  It  is  twofold.  It  is  for  the  evidence  of 
true  Christian  faith  in  these  Gentile  benefactors  as  well  as  for 
the  liberality  of  their  contribution.  They  glorify  God  is 
equivalent  to  thanksgivings  unto  God. 

The  obedience  of  your  confession  unto  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  It  is  an  elaborate  phrase,  equivalent  to  "your  loyalty 
to  Christ."  The  Jerusalem  Christians  were  always  suspicious 
of  the  Gentile  converts  in  distant  provinces.  It  is  Paul's  earnest 
hope,  not  altogether  unwavering  (see  Rom.  15:30-31),  that  in 
this  contribution  Jerusalem  will  see  an  evidence  that  Gentiles 
becoftie  loyal  and  devoted  Christians,  obedient  to  every  require- 
ment of  the  Christ  whom  they  have  confessed. 

Unto  them  and  unto  all.  There  is  an  implication  here  that 
the  Jerusalem  Christians  were  not  the  only  subjects  of  the  Co- 
rinthians' generosity,  and  that  they  were  aware  of  it,  or  would 
learn  of  it. 

14.  With  supplication  on  your  behalf.  This  is  the  second 
anticipated  result  in  the  recipients  of  the  contribution.  They 
will  make  the  contributors  the  object  of  their  earnest  prayer, 
with  a  genuine  affection  and  longing  for  them  which  will  lend 
effectiveness  to  their  petitions.  It  will  be  one  of  the  blessings 
accruing  to  the  liberal  givers. 

The  exceeding  grace  of  God  in  you.  And  so  Paul  ends 
this  section  as  he  began  it  (8:1),  with  the  grace  of  God.  His 
conclusion  lets  us  into  the  secret  of  his  tremendous  interest  in 
this  great  undertaking.  He  hoped  to  see  the  Jewish  Christians 
of  Jerusalem  praising  God  for  the  genuineness  and  generosity 
of  the  Gentile  Christians  in  the  provinces,  and  earnestly  making 
request  to  God  on  their  behalf. 

15.  Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift.  A  typical 
conclusion !  Another  of  Paul's  spontaneous  bursts  of  thanksgiv- 
ing.   See  1:3;  2:14;  8:16.    Again  his  word  for  thanks  is  his  word 

271 


9:15       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

for  grace.     Coming  so  close  together  he  must  have  associated 
them  in  his  thought. 

By  unspeakable  gift  he  means  a  gift  beyond  all  power  of 
language  adequately  to  describe.  The  gift  is  Christ;  but  it  is 
Christ  through  whom  God  is  bringing  together,  by  bringmg  to 
himself,  both  Gentile  and  Jew.  To  Paul  it  was  a  wonderful 
vision  of  God's  gracious  love  finding  expression  in  giving.  He 
could  not  put  his  thought  of  it  into  words.  It  was  ineffable, 
unspeakable. 


272 


io:i 


V.    Paul's  Glorying;   io:i — 12:13 

I.     The  Boldness  Which  Characterizes  it;  10:1-18 

10.        I.  Now  I  Paul  myself  intreat  you  by  the  meekness 
and  gentleness  of  Christ,  I  who  in  your  presence  am 

Paul's  Glorying 

I.  The  "boldness"  which  characterizes  it. 

a.  Its  caricature  by  his  opponents. 
The  forms  it  takes: 

(i)   He  looks  meek  when  present,  is  bold  when  absent;  vs.  i. 

(2)  His  letters  are  fierce,  his  speech  of  no  account;  vs.  10. 

(3)  He  walks  very  humanly;  no  spiritual  power;  vs.  2. 

b.  Its  genuineness: 

What  he  is  in  word  and  letter  that  he  is  in  deed;  vs.  11. 

c.  Its  proof  (test):     Not  a  thing  to  be  desired;  vs.  2. 
(i)   Reason:     Paul's  estimate  of  its  effect. 

(2)  Reason:     It  is  no  human  warfare  he  wages;  vs.  3. 
(o)   Concession:     Though  he  is  human. 

(b)  Evidence:    His  weapons  are  not  human;  vs.  4. 

(c)  Evidence:    The  nature  of  the  warfare;  vs.  $. 
(i)   Casting  down  self -exalted  things. 

(2)  Taking  captive  thoughts. 

(3)  Holding  reserves  for  discipline;  vs.  6. 

(3)  Reason:     No  one  looks  or  is  any  more  Christ's  than 

Paul  looks  and  is;  vs.  7. 

(4)  Reason:     His  authority  is  genuine;  vs.  8: 

(a)  Equal  to  any  boast  he  makes  of  it. 

(b)  No  mere  scarecrow;  vs.  9. 

(5)  Reason:     The  sort  of  "glorying"  to  which  it  leads  him; 

vs.  12. 

(a)  Negative:     Not  that  of  those  who  commend  them- 

selves, 
(i)  Measure:     Using  themselves  as  measure. 
(2)  Estimate:     They  are  anything  but  wise. 

(b)  Negative:     Not  a  "glorying"  which  leaps  bounds; 

vs.  13. 
(i)  Manner:     By  overreaching  itself;  vs.  14; 


10  :i       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

(2)  Manner:     By     appropriating    others'    labors; 

vs.  is; 

(3)  Manner:     By   trespassing   on  others'  grounds; 

vs.  16. 
(c)  Positive:  but  a  "measured"  glorying;  vs.  13. 
(i)  Measure:     God's  measuring-rod. 

(2)  Field:     Even  Corinth. 

(3)  Future     anticipations:      The     parts     beyond; 

vs.  16. 
Conclusion:     Whom  the  Lord  commends  is  approved;  vs.  18. 
Proof:     (Scripture)  Jer.  9:24. 

With  chapter  10  begins  another  subject.  Chapters  10-13  form 
a  separate  section  of  the  epistle,  quite  distinct  from  all  that  has 
preceded  it.  For  a  full  statement  of  the  difference  and  the  prob- 
able inference  the  Introduction  should  be  consulted. 

It  is  assumed  here  that  these  four  chapters  were  not  a  part 
of  the  original  letter.  They  were  written  of  course  by  Paul  to 
Corinth,  but  they  were  a  separate  letter  or  a  part  of  a  separate 
letter.  This  separate  letter  may  or  may  not  have  been  the  letter 
referred  to  in  2:4.  If  it  is  that  letter,  then  it  can  be  only  a  part 
of  it,  not  the  whole  of  it.  This  is  the  easiest  hypothesis  by  which 
to  explain  the  great  difficulties  which  arise.  It  is  not  altogether 
satisfactory  but  it  is  workable. 

The  outline  of  this  section  of  the  epistle  is  made  to  follow  in 
sequence  the  outline  of  chapters  1-9,  for  there  is  no  evidence  that 
anyone  ever  knew  of  the  epistle  being  divided  into  parts.  It 
could  hardly  be  outlined  as  a  separate  letter  for  it  lacks  so  much 
that  an  entire  letter  would  necessarily  have.  That  Paul  had  no 
very  clear  outline  of  his  own  in  mind  when  he  wrote  the  letter 
is  proved  by  the  difficulty  of  making  a  satisfactory  outline  for 
him.  His  thought  is  occasionally  involved,  and  his  language, 
always  vigorous,  is  sometimes  vague.  Much  of  the  vagueness  is 
due  to  his  veiled  use  of  quoted  words  and  phrases,  references 
which  must  have  been  perfectly  clear  to  his  readers,  but  are  not 
to  us.  They  may  have  been  used  of  Paul  to  his  face  when  he 
was  recently  in  Corinth.  Some  of  them  may  have  been  reported 
to  him.  It  is  impossible  to  be  sure  of  them  all,  but  the  following 
list  includes  most  of  them,  the  words  "bold"  and  "boast" 
("glory")  being  the  chief  est: 

10:  I        "being  absent  he  is  of  good  courage"; 
"when  present  he  is  meek  enough." 
2         walks  very  humanly  (according  to  the  flesh). 
8        considerable   of   a   boaster    (glory   somewhat   abun- 
dantly) . 

274 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       io:i 


9        terrifying  in  his  letters, 
lo        his  letters  are  strong  but  his  presence  is  weak. 

12  very   daring    (bold)    in  commending   himself. 

13  a  measureless  boaster. 

14  outreaches  himself. 

15-16  trespasses  on  other  men's  preserves;   uses  a  private 
measuring-rod. 
II :i;  16-19  folly;  foolishness;  foolish;  fool. 
6        rude  in  speech. 
12:14        a  heavy  burden  on  the  churches. 
16        being  tricky  he  caught  them. 
19        always  defending  himself. 

As  Paul  uses  these  phrases  and  rings  the  changes  on  them  his 
emotions  are  varied  and  deep.  There  is  much  of  pathos  and 
sorrow;  there  is  grim  humor  and  playful  humor;  there  is  indig- 
nation; there  is  some  bitterness;  at  times  he  is  very  stern,  and 
again  he  is  almost  plaintive  in  his  pleading.  It  is  very  difficult 
to  see  how  he  could  have  written  in  this  way  from  Macedonia 
after  Titus'  arrival  and  after  the  receipt  of  his  good  news.  It  is 
not  altogether  easy,  on  the  other  hand,  to  find  a  description  of 
this  letter  in  the  "I  wrote  unto  you  with  many  tears,"  of  2:4. 

10:1.  Now  I  Paul  myself  intreat  you.  This  certainly 
sounds  like  the  heart  of  one  of  Paul's  letters.  The  now  is  not 
the  introductory  word  of  the  beginning  of  a  letter,  and  the 
/  Paid  is  one  of  Paul's  mannerisms.  It  is  found  five  times,  as 
here,  in  the  heart  of  a  letter  (Gal.  5:2;  Eph.  3:1;  Col.  1:23; 
I  Thess.  2:18;  Philem.  19).  In  addition  he  three  times  names 
himself  at  the  close  of  a  letter,  the  salutation  of  me  Paul  with  my 
own  hand  (i  Cor.  16:21;  Col.  4:18;  2  Thess.  3:17)-  If  this 
section  was  written  at  a  different  time  from  chapters  1-9  the 
letter  can  scarcely  have  begun  at  this  point.  Something  has  been 
lost. 

Intreat  is  the  same  word  that  in  1:3-7  was  rendered  so  often 
comfort.  The  idea  of  intreaty  is  of  course  paramount  here, 
though  admonish  or  call  on  you  would  give  the  tone  better.  The 
change  of  tone  from  the  preceding  part  of  the  letter  is  very 
noticeable,  and  it  comes  with  absolute  abruptness.  By  the 
meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ.  This  is  one  of  the  few 
references  in  Paul's  letters  to  the  earthly  life  and  character  of 
Jesus.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  to  the  life  of  Jesus  he 
refers.  Jesus  was  at  times  most  stern  and  outspoken  in  his 
denunciations.  Paul  calls  on  his  readers  by  the  gentleness  of 
Christ  not  to  force  him  to  use  the  stern  denunciations  of  his 
Christ-given  authority. 

275 


10 :2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

lowly  among  you,  but  being  absent  am  of  good  cour- 

2.  age  toward  you:  yea,  I  beseech  you,  that  I  may  not 
when  present  shew  courage  with  the  confidence 
wherewith  I  count  to  be  bold  against  some,  which 
count  of  us  as  if  we  walked  according  to  the  flesh. 

3.  For  though  we  walk  in  the  flesh,  we  do  not  war 

4.  according  to  the  flesh  (for  the  weapons  of  our 
warfare  are  not  of  the  flesh,  but  mighty  before  God 


I  who.  Here  follows  a  quotation.  This  is  what  had  been 
said  of  him  in  Corinth.  "When  he  is  among  us  he  is  abject; 
when  he  is  far  away  he  is  courageous  against  us."  It  is  difficult 
to  decide  whether  this  should  be  read  with  the  tone  of  one 
deeply  pained  and  hurt  but  yearning,  or  of  one  indulging  in 
bold  irony  and  threat. 

2.  Yea,  I  beseech  you.  Without  finishing  his  first  sentence 
he  changes  his  verb  from  intreat  (admonish)  to  beseech  (beg 
of  you)  and  completes  it  with  the  phrase  used  in  quoting  their 
insults,  and  with  another.  It  is  not  a  graceful  sentence  but  it  is 
vigorous.  "Do  not  compel  me,  I  beg  of  you,  to  be  courageous 
the  next  time  I  am  among  you  with  the  kind  of  daring  I  can 
count  on  myself  to  display  against  some  who  count  on  me  to 
display  low,  human  motives  and  conduct."  Against  some. 
These  some  are  the  cause  of  the  whole  trouble.  There  are  to  be 
many  references  to  them  between  this  and  the  end  of  the  epistle. 
They  reckon  Paul  to  be  one  who  is  governed  not  by  spiritual 
principles  and  high  ideals,  but  by  low,  worldly,  unspiritual 
motives.  According  to  the  flesh  is  the  opposite  of  according 
to  the  spirit.  Here  it  seems  to  mean  humanly,  weakly,  without 
spiritual  power  or  moral  courage.  The  very  mention  of  the 
some  and  their  "count  of  us"  rouses  Paul  to  eloquent  indigna- 
tion. 

3.  For.  The  test  of  Paul's  courage,  or  boldness  is  not  a  thing 
to  be  desired,  for — then  follows  a  second  reason.  Though  we 
walk  in  the  flesh.  He  changes  the  phrase  and  the  thought  but 
keeps  the  word.  In  the  flesh  is  not  according  to  the  flesh.  He 
does  not  walk  according  to  the  flesh;  he  does  walk  in  the  flesh. 
He  is  human,  but  he  is  not  under  human  leadership;  it  is  no 
human  war  that  he  is  engaged  in. 

4.  For  introduces  a  parenthetical  explanation  of  what  he  means 
by  a  war  not  according  to  the  flesh. 

The  weapons — are  not  of  the  flesh.    It  is  the  weakness  of 

276 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       io:6 

5.  to  the  casting  down  of  strong  holds) ;  casting  down 
^  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that  is  exalted 
against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  every 
thought  into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ; 

6.  and  being  in  readiness  to  avenge  all  disobedience, 

^  Or,    reasonings. 

the  flesh  that  is  emphatic  here.  They  are  not  human  weapons, 
weak  and  ineffective,  but  mighty  before  God.  The  phrase  is 
equivalent  to  exceeding  mighty,  i.e.,  mighty  as  God  sees  might. 
Mighty  is  in  contrast  with  the  weakness  implied  in  of  the  flesh. 
The  contrast  of  spiritual  weapons  with  weapons  of  the  flesh  is 
not  lacking.  To  the  casting  down  of  strongholds.  Although 
verse  4  is  parenthetical  its  thought  of  offensive  weapons  power- 
ful enough  to  demolish  castles  and  fortresses  leads  to  the  details 
of  the  weapon  in  verse  5. 

5.  Casting  down  imaginations.  The  casting  down  agrees 
grammatically  with  the  we  of  verse  3  (note  Paul's  return  to  the 
plural  we  after  being  so  emphatic  with  the  singular  /),  not  with 
the  weapons  of  verse  4. 

Paul  keeps  the  military  figure.  There  are  three  phases  of  his 
military  strategy:  (i)  He  assaults  strongholds;  (2)  he  takes 
captives;  (3)  he  holds  reserves  for  emergencies.  He  seems  to 
have  definitely  in  mind  the  situation  at  Corinth,  what  he  has 
tried  to  do  to  meet  it,  and  what  he  plans  to  do.  He  does  not 
mention  persons  as  his  opponents  but  theories  and  systems. 
These  were  the  views  of  the  authors  of  much  of  the  trouble  at 
Corinth.  They  seem  to  have  been  of  the  "Judaizing"  party,  but 
nothing  very  definite  can  be  discovered  from  Paul's  figurative 
language  here. 

Reasonings  is  a  little  nearer  the  meaning  than  imaginations, 
for  the  strongholds  he  will  cast  down.  The  word  means  calcu- 
lations, reckonings  .  It  may  include  lofty  flights  of  imagination 
as  among  the  high  things  that  exalt  themselves  against  the  knowl- 
edge of  God.  It  is  some  teaching  that  does  not  find  its  knowledge 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  (4:6).  Paul's  spiritual 
weapons  can  knock  down  any  fortress  heights  that  are  not  built 
on  that  foundation.  Bringing  every  thought  into  captivity, 
i.e.,  capturing  for  Christ  every  device  and  purpose  that  opposed 
Christ's  full  and  complete  authority.  Christ,  by  these  Judaizers 
and  their  followers,  was  not  given  His  proper  place. 

6.  And  being  in  readiness.  This  implies  that  most  of  the 
church   will  give    themselves   up   when    Paul    turns   his   weapons 

277 


io;7       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

7.  when  your  obedience  shall  be  fulfilled.  ^  Ye  look 
at  the  things  that  are  before  your  face.  If  any 
man  trusteth  in  himself  that  he  is  Christ's,  let  him 
consider  this  again  with  himself,  that,  even  as  he 

8.  is  Christ's,  so  also  are  we.  For  though  I  should 
glory  somewhat  abundantly  concerning  our  authority 
(which  the  Lord  gave  for  building  you  up,  and  not 

^  Or,  Do  ye  look   .    .    .      face? 

against  them.  But  there  will  be  some,  the  leaders,  who  will  not. 
For  them  Paul  will  have  reserves  for  administering  the  punish- 
ment due  to  disobedience.  Can  this  be  the  situation  that  Titus 
left  at  Corinth,  and  over  which  Paul  so  greatly  rejoiced  when 
Titus  brought  him  news  of  it? 

7.  Ye  look  at  the  things  that  are  before  your  face.  The 
declarative  form  is  better  than  the  imperative,  or  than  the 
interrogative  which  is  suggested  in  the  marginal  alternative. 
Each  of  the  three  is  possible.  The  phrase  before  your  face  is 
the  same  that  was  rendered  in  verse  i  in  your  presence.  The 
reference  probably  is  to  their  estimate  of  Paul  when  he  was  with 
them.  You  are  quick  with  your  judgments  of  those  who  are  in 
your  presence,  Paul  says,  and  you  find  some  to  be  Christ's  be- 
cause they  are  emphatic  in  their  assurance  that  they  are  his. 
(These  are  perhaps  men  who  had  had  some  personal  touch  with 
Jesus  during  his  life,  or  with  apostles  who  had,  and  who  dis- 
credited Paul  because  he  had  not.)  Understand  that  I  am 
Christ's  just  as  much  as  they  are.  If  any  man.  Another  ref- 
erence to  the  some  of  verse  2 ;  any  one  of  his  opponents. 

8.  For.  Verse  7  gave  a  third  reason  why  the  church  at 
Corinth  will  find  it  wiser  not  to  put  Paul's  "boldness"  to  the 
test.  Verse  8  with  its  for  introduces  another,  a  fourth.  These 
"reasons,"  as  seen  in  the  outline,  follow  the  various  "forms"  that 
the  caricature  of  Paul's  boldness  takes.  See  the  Outline.  Rea- 
son (2)  takes  up  form  (3)  ;  reason  (3)  takes  up  form  (i)  ;  reason 
(4)   takes  up  form  (2). 

Though  I  should  glory  somewhat  abundantly  (or,  more 
abundantly  than  I  have  as  yet)  concerning  our  authority 
...  I  shall  not  be  put  to  shame.  No  matter  how  much 
importance  he  attaches  to  his  authority,  when  it  comes  to  the 
test  he  will  have  no  ground  for  embarrassment.  Paul  adds, 
parenthetically,  that  his  authority  was  given  him  by  the  Lord 
not  to  demohsh,  as  he  is  threatening  to  do,  but  to  build  up. 

278 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     10:12 

for  casting  you  down),  I  shall  not  be  put  to  shame: 
9.    that  I  may  not  seem  as  if  I  would  terrify  you  by 

10.  my  letters.  For,  His  letters,  they  say,  are  weighty 
and  strong;  but  his  bodily  presence  is  weak,  and  his 

11.  speech  of  no  account.  Let  such  a  one  reckon  this, 
that,  what  we  are  in  word  by  letters  when  we  are 
absent,  such  are  we  also  in  deed  when  we  are  present. 

12.  For  we  are  not  bold  ^  to  number  or  compare  ourselves 

*  Gr.,  to  judge  ourselves  among,  or  to  judge  ourselves  with. 

9.  By  my  letters.  The  authority  to  which  he  refers  has  been 
exercised  so  far  chiefly  in  letters.  To  what  epistles  he  refers 
it  is  impossible  to  say.  It  does  not  necessarily  refer  to  any 
particular  letter,  but  possibly  to  his  reputation  as  a  letter-writer. 
Paul  is  evidently  quoting  a  charge  made  against  him  that  he 
tried  by  his  letters  to  terrify,  or  to  frighten  them  out  of  their 
wits.  Of  course  if  2  Corinthians  is  all  one  letter,  this  might  be 
a  reference  to  the  letter  of  2:4. 

10.  For.  This  jor  merely  introduces  a  further  quotation  from 
his  opponents'  charges,  to  illustrate  what  he  means  by  his  "terri- 
fying letters."  They  said  his  authority  was  a  sort  of  paper 
authority,  but  when  he  got  face  to  face  with  them  it  had  all 
oozed  out;  neither  his  looks  nor  his  speech  were  prepossessing. 
They  say  makes  the  quotation  very  clear. 

11.  Let  such  a  one  reckon,  i.e.,  one  of  the  they  who  say 
such  things.  The  boldness  of  authority  which  his  opponents 
caricatured  is  genuine  and  well  grounded  and  will  be  found  to 
prove  its  genuineness  if  put  to  the  test. 

12.  For.  With  this  jor  is  introduced  one  of  the  most  involved 
and  obscure  paragraphs  in  the  epistle.  The  connection,  how- 
ever, is  evident.  The  jor  gives  an  added  explanation  of  the 
statement  that  it  is  not  desirable  to  put  his  boldness  to  the  test 
(vs.  2).  It  is  not  desirable  for  his  boldness  is  not  like  that  of 
his  opponents,  founded  on  conceit,  but  founded  on  his  God- 
given  authority.  The  word  bold  in  verse  2  is  repeated  only  in 
verse  12.  Paul  says  that  the  sort  of  glorying  to  which  his  bold- 
ness leads  him  is  (i)  not  like  that  of  his  opponents;  it  is  not 
a  glorying  of  self-commendation,  nor  one  which  overreaches  itself 
and  trespasses  on  the  fields  and  the  labors  of  others;  but  (2) 
it  is  a  "measured"  glorying,  measured  by  God's  measuring-rod, 
and  glorying  only  in  what  God's  measurements  permit  him  to 
be  and  do.    It  is  therefore  a  glorying  in  the  Lord.    We  are  not 

279 


io:i3     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

with  certain  of  them  that  commend  themselves:  but 
they  themselves,  measuring  themselves  by  themselves, 
and  comparing  themselves  with  themselves,  are  with- 

13.  out  understanding.  But  we  will  not  glory  beyond 
our  measure,  but  according  to  the  measure  of  the 
^  province  which  God  apportioned  to  us  as  a  measure, 

14.  to  reach  even  unto  you.  For  we  stretch  not  our- 
selves overmuch,  as  though  we  reached  not  unto  you: 
for  we  ^  came  even  as  far  as  unto  you  in  the  gospel  of 

^  Or,  limit.     Gr.,  measuring-rod.        ^  Or,  were  the  first  to  come. 

bold.  This  is  sarcasm;  we  have  not  the  courage,  do  not  dare: 
To  number  or  compare  ourselves  with  certain.  There  is  a 
play  on  words  in  the  Greek  in  number  or  compare.  It  has  some- 
times been  rendered  into  English  to  pair  or  compare  ourselves 
with  certain.  The  rendering  of  the  margin  is  literal,  but  not  as 
satisfactory  as  that  of  the  text.  Paul  has  not  the  "daring"  to 
class  himself  with  those  "bold"  men,  his  opponents,  (certain  of 
them),  whose  whole  standard  of  measurement  and  comparison 
for  themselves  is  to  be  found  in  themselves.  Are  without  under- 
standing.    He  cannot  help  adding  that  they  have  no  sense. 

13.  But  we  will  not  glory  beyond  our  measure.  Evi- 
dently his  opponents  in  Corinth  had  accused  Paul  of  doing  just 
that,  of  being  "off  his  beat,"  trespassing  on  someone's  else  "pre- 
serve," and  so  glorying  beyond  his  measure.  What  business  had 
he  in  Corinth  anyway?  His  answer  is  that  God  did  the  measur- 
ing for  him,  laying  out  his  field,  and  that,  since  he  came  to 
Corinth  first,  his  opponents  are  the  trespassers.  The  measure 
of  the  province.  The  word  province  is  literally  measuring-rod. 
It  is  something  like  the  English  word  "rule"  in  its  various  uses. 
From  being  the  measuring-stick  it  comes  to  mean  the  length  or 
area  measured,  and  so  limits  (as  in  the  margin)  or  field  or 
province.  God  measured  his  province  for  him,  and  it  included 
Corinth. 

14.  He  did  not  overreach  himself  or  overstep  his  boundaries 
when  he  preached  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  Corinthians.  Came 
even  as  far  as  unto  you.  The  alternative  rendering  of  the 
margin  is  preferable,  were  tlie  first  to  come.  He  was  first  on  the 
field;  it  was  therefore  his  "province,"  not  only  by  right  of  dis- 
covery, as  it  were,  but  because  God  had  drawn,  to  include 
Corinth,  the  line  that  marked  the  boundary  of  Paul's  field  for 
gospel  preaching. 

280 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     io:i8 

15.  Christ:  not  glorying  beyond  our  measure,  that  is, 
in  other  men's  labours;  but  having  hope  that,  as  your 
faith  groweth,  we  shall  be  magnified  in  you  according 

16.  to  our  ^  province  unto  further  abundance,  so  as  to 
preach  the  gospel  even  unto  the  parts  beyond  you, 
and  not  to  glory  in  another's  ^  province  in  regard  of 

17.  things  ready  to  our  hand.     But  he  that  glorieth,  let 

18.  him  glory  in  the  Lord.  For  not  he  that  commendeth 
himself  is  approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  commendeth. 

^  Or,   limit.      Gr.,   measuring -rod. 

15.  Verse  14  is  parenthetical.  Verse  15  takes  up  and  repeats 
the  thought  of  verse  13,  not  glorying  beyond  our  measure.  He 
adds  as  an  explanation  of  beyond  our  measure,  in  other  men's 
labours.  These  Judaizing  opponents  might  accuse  him  of  tres- 
passing, or  of  glorying  in  the  work  that  they,  not  he,  had  done. 
When  he  wrote  letters  and  paid  visits  to  Corinth  from  his  head- 
quarters in  Ephesus,  he  might  seem  to  them  to  be  trespassing. 
But  he  had  appropriated  Corinth  as  his  "province"  years  before. 
But  having  hope.  An  involved  sentence,  the  simple  meaning 
of  which  seems  to  be  that  he  hoped  when  the  Corinth  field  had 
been  sufficiently  tilled,  his  "province"  might  be  again  enlarged, 
God's  measuring-rod  circumscribing  for  him  still  more  distant 
and  unoccupied  fields  like  Italy  or  even  Spain.  We  shall  be 
magnified  in  you.  It  rests  with  the  Corinthians,  Paul  thinks, 
whether  and  when  his  "province"  becomes  enlarged. 

16.  If  their  faith  grows  to  maturity  there  will  be  no  further 
need  of  the  one  who  planted  (i  Cor.  3:6).  He  can  be  released 
to  plant  another  garden  further  to  the  west,  even  unto  the  parts 
beyond  you.  Things  ready  to  our  hand,  i.e.,  a  "province" 
of  another,  already  tilled — plowed  and  planted.  Paul  had  no 
desire  to  occupy  another  man's  field.  He  was  by  nature  a 
pioneer. 

17.  But  he  that  glorieth.  Once  before  to  the  Corinthians 
(i  Cor.  1:31)  Paul  has  used  this  Scripture  quotation.  It  seems 
to  be  suggested  by  the  language  of  Jer.  9:23-24,  though  the  quo- 
tation is  not  exact.  He  justifies  his  own  glorying  as  being  a 
glorying  in  the  Lord,  because  to  the  Lord  he  ascribes  all  the 
direction  of  his  work  and  all  his  success.  The  glorying  of  his 
opponents  is  in  themselves  (vs.  12). 

18.  Is  approved,  i.e.,  as  coins  or  metals  are  accepted  as  genu- 
ine. Not  self-commendation  but  God's  commendation  marks  a 
man  as  sterling  (cf.  3:1;  4:2;  5:12;  6:4;  10:12). 

281 


II  :i       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


2.     The  Grounds  Which  Excicse  It;  ii:i — 12:13 

II.    I.  Would  that  ye  could  bear  with  me  in  a  little  fool- 
2.    ishness:  ^  nay  indeed  bear  with  me.    For  I  am  jealous 

^  Or,  hut  indeed  ye  do  hear  with  me. 

2.  The  grounds  which  excuse  it;  11  :i — 12:13. 

Intro.    His    excuse    for    "this    little    folly"    (i.e.,    for    talking 
about  the  grounds) ;  vs.  i. 
(i)  His  jealousy  for  them;  vs.  2. 

(a)  Genuineness:     God's  jealousy. 
{b)  Reason:     Their  betrothal  to  Christ  and  their  ten- 
dency to  prove  false;  agent:    the  same 
old  serpent;  vs.  3. 
(2)  His  jealousy  for  his  apostleship. 

(a)  Its  rival  with  them — one  who,  vs.  4: 
(i)  Preaches  another  Jesus  than  Paul's. 

(2)  Gives  another  spirit  than  Paul's. 

(3)  Brings  another  Gospel  than  Paul's. 

(4)  Is  put  up  with  beautifully  by  them  (ironical). 
(6)   Its  exalted  character  (worth  guarding)  ;  vs.  $• 

By  comparison — not  a  whit  behind  the  "preemi- 
nent" apostles, 
(i)   Exception — oratory;  vs.  6. 
(2)   Specification — knowledge. 
a.  His  gratuitous  preaching  at  Corinth. 

(i)  The  form  it  took — a  free  "good  news"  of  God;   vss. 
7,  10. 

(2)  The  cost  it  involved — "robbing"  other  churches;  vs.  8. 
(a)  Manner — when  absent,  taking  wages  (rations). 

Reason — to  minister  to  Corinth. 
(6)  Manner — when  present,  receiving  gifts  from  Mace- 
donia; vs.  9. 
Reason — to  keep  from  being  a  burden. 

(3)  The  ground  of  its  expediency. 

(a)  Negative:     Not  lack  of  love — God  knows;  vs.  11. 
(6)   Positive:  but  to  checkmate  false  boasters;  vs.  12. 
(i)  Their  identity — false  apostles,  dishonest  work- 
men, masqueraders ;  vs.  13. 
(2)   Their   authority — ministers    of    Satan;    vs.    15, 
whose  example  they  follow: 

282 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       ii:i 


(a)  He,  an  angel  of  light;  vs.  14. 
ib)  They,  ministers  of  righteousness;  vs.  15. 
(3)  Their  end— according  to  their  works. 
His  honor  in  the  flesh  (as  a  man)  ;  vs.  18. 
Intro.    Leniency  toward  "a  little  folly." 
(i)   Due  because  of  its  nature;  vs.  16. 
(a)  Not  really  foolishness. 
(5)  Yet  not  inspired  wisdom;  vs.  17. 
(c)   Just  boasting. 

(2)  Due  because  of  their  superior  wisdom,  vs.  19, 

witnessed  by  their  putting  up  with  anyone,  vs.  20: 
(a)  who  makes  a  tool  of  them. 
lb)  who  lives  off  them, 
(c)  who  dupes  them   ("gets"  them). 
Id)  who  takes  on  airs, 
(e)  who  "skins"  them  to  their  face. 

(3)  Due  because  Paul  is  not  equal  to  such  wisdom;  vs.  21. 
(i)  In  his  ancestry  and  race— a  Hebrew,  an  Israelite,  seed 

of  Abraham,  as  much  as  they;  vs.  22. 
(2)  As  a  minister  of  Christ;  vs.  23. 

(a)   Degree:     Beyond  them  (speaking  in  madness). 
lb)  Proof:     Attested  by  his  experiences  of  suffering, 
(i)  At  the  hands  of  magistrates  and  mobs. 

(a)  In  general: 
(i)   Prisoner. 

(2)  Lashes. 

(3)  "Deaths." 

(b)  In  particular: 

(i)  From    Jews— stripes— five    times;    vs. 

24. 

(2)  From      Romans— rods— three      times; 

vs.  25. 

(3)  Stoned— once. 

(2)  From  travel,  danger,  toil  and  exposure, 
(a)  Shipwrecks — three  times. 

lb)  In  the  sea— twenty-four  hours. 

(c)  Perils  of  rivers,  sea,  wilderness,  city;  vs.  26. 
Id)  Perils    of    men;    robbers,    Jews,    Gentiles, 

false  brethren, 
(e)  Exposure    and   toil;    exhaustion,   sleepless- 
ness, hunger,  thirst,  cold;  vs.  27. 

(3)  From  care  and  anxiety  for  all  the  churches; 

vs.  28. 
(a)  Sympathy  for  the  weak;  vs.  29. 
lb)  Indignation  at  wilful  injuries. 

283 


II :  2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

(4)  One    special    incident    (ludicrous    weakness) — 
over  a  wall  in  a  basket. 

(a)  Place:     Damascus. 

(b)  Occasion:     Search  made  for  him. 

(c)  Officer:    Ethnarch  of  Aretas. 

(d)  Escape:     Through  a  window. 

(c)  Asseveration  of  truthfulness — God  knows;  vs.  31. 
(3)   In  his  visions  and  revelations;  vs.  i. 

Intro.    The  necessity  and  unfitness  of  glorying: 
(i)  A  particular  instance: 

(a)  Time:     Fourteen  years  ago. 

(b)  Condition:     A  man  in  Christ;  vss.  2,  3. 
(i)   Either  in  the  body 

(2)   or  out  of  the  body,  God  knows. 

(c)  Attending  circumstances: 

Caught   up   to   the   third  heaven,   Paradise; 
vs.  4. 

(d)  Nature     of     revelation — secrets;     words     that 

man  cannot  utter. 

(e)  Result:     A  real  cause  for  glorying. 

(i)   Ground:      Not   self,   but   such    a   man    of 
visions;  vs.  5. 

(2)  Specification:     Just  the  plain  truth  would 

be   no   "folly."     It   is   so   big    a   thing; 
vs.  6. 

(3)  Treatment — unused. 

Reason:    lest  he   be   estimated   by   revela- 
tions, not  character. 
(2)  The  weakness  that  counterbalances — a  thorn  in  the 
flesh;  vs.  7. 

(a)  Nature:     Satan's  messenger  to  buffet  him. 

(b)  Purpose:      That  he  may   not   be   exalted  too 

much. 

(c)  Permanence:    He  must  keep  it;  vs.  8. 
Proof: 

(i)  He  prayed  three  times  for  its  removal. 
(2)  The  answer  was  "No." 

Reason:     God's  grace  is  sufficient. 

Con.    He  keeps  it. 

(d)  Effect  on  Paul:     He  glories  in  it. 

(i)   End:      That    Christ's    power    may    cover 

him;  vs.  9. 
(2)   Resulting  attitude:     He  chooses,  vs.   10: 
(a)  Item:     Weaknesses;    insults,   etc.,   for 
Christ's  sake. 

284 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       11:2 

(6)  Reason:     When    he    is    weak    he    is 
strong. 
Conclusion:    The  excuses  for  this  "folly"  of  glorying;  vs.   11: 
(i)   Compulsion — They  drove  him  to  it. 
(2)  The  truth  about  his  apostleship;  vs.  12. 

(a)   Rank:     Not  behind  the  "preeminent"  apostles. 
(6)  Evidence:     The  signs  of  apostleship  wrought  among 
them, 
(i)   In  general:     Signs,  wonders,  powers. 
(2)   In  particular:     The  church  at  Corinth — in  no 
way  inferior  to  others;  vs.  13. 
One  exception — he  was  not  a  "burden." 

11: 1.  With  the  beginning  of  chapter  11  Paul's  tone  changes  a 
little.  The  cause  of  the  change  is  that  his  thought  focuses  now 
on  the  church  that  he  loves,  rather  than  on  the  persons  in  the 
church  who  have  caused  so  much  trouble.  He  has  them  still  in 
mind,  but  he  addresses  the  whole  church.  His  tone  is  gentler, 
more  tender.  Though  the  current  of  his  emotion  still  runs  swift 
and  deep,  its  surface  ripples  with  an  occasional  smile.  There  is 
much  playful  humor  in  his  words,  as  well  as  intense  seriousness 
and  occasional  irony. 

The  word  "glorying"  is  always  uppermost.  That  is  what  he  is 
talking  about.  In  chapter  10  it  was  "boldness"  which  character- 
ized his  glorying  .  Now  he  turns  to  the  grounds  which  excuse  it. 
After  a  few  words  about  the  excuse  he  has  for  talking  about  it 
at  all — he  calls  it  "this  little  piece  of  folly" — he  gives  two  grounds: 
the  first  (8-15)  is  his  gratuitous  preaching.  He  had  worked  for 
nothing.  The  second  is  his  honor  according  to  the  flesh,  i.e.,  as 
a  man,  what  he  is,  what  he  has  done,  what  he  has  received  and 
what  he  has  suffered.  Would  that  ye  could  bear  with  me. 
With  a  tone  tender  in  its  fatherliness  and  almost  childlike  in  its 
plaintiveness  he  turns  to  the  church  as  a  whole,  the  church  which 
is  his  child,  his  daughter,  whom  he  has  betrothed  to  Christ,  and 
begs  her  to  be  patient  with  a  little  piece  of  folly  (nonsense)  on 
his  part.  Nay  indeed  bear  with  me.  The  rendering  of  the 
margin  is  preferable  (the  indicative),  but  indeed  ye  do  bear  with 
me. 

2.  A  godly  jealousy.  It  is  literally  a  jealousy  of  God,  or 
God's  jealousy.  Probably  he  means  a  God-like  jealousy,  pure 
and  without  sinful  human  motives.  To  the  Old  Testament  reader 
God's  jealousy  was  a  familiar  phrase  (Ex.  20:5;  34:14).  For  I 
espoused  you  to  one  husband.  Paul  uses  a  figure  for  the 
relation  of  the  church  to  Christ  which  was  used  in  a  veiled  way 
by  Jesus  (Matt.  25:1-3;  9:15);  and  in  Jn.  3:29;  and  one  which 

285 


1113       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

over  you  with  ^  a  godly  jealousy:  for  I  espoused  you 
to  one  husband,  that  I  might  present  you  as  a  pure 

3.  virgin  to  Christ.  But  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as 
the  serpent  beguiled  Eve  in  his  craftiness,  your 
^  minds  should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  and 

4.  the  purity  that  is  toward  Christ.     For  if  he  that 

^  Gr.,    a   jealousy    of    God.  ^  Gn,    thoughts. 

came  to  be  a  very  popular  metaphor  (Eph.  5:25-32;  Rev.  19:7; 
21:2;  22:17).  In  Eph.  5:25  Paul  speaks  of  Christ  presenting 
the  church  to  himself  as  a  bride.  But  here  his  figure  is  of  him- 
self as  a  father  arranging  the  betrothal  of  the  church  to  Christ. 
Like  a  father  he  has  a  noble  jealousy  that  his  daughter  shall  be 
worthy  of  her  husband  in  all  purity  and  love. 

3.  But  I  fear.  The  great  anxiety  Paul  felt  for  the  church  at 
Corinth  was  lest  teachers  with  false  motives  and  a  false  message 
should  so  influence  the  church  that  it  should  be  neither  simple 
(i.e.,  single)  in  its  love,  nor  pure  in  its  loyalty  to  Christ.  They 
were  Satan's  agents  of  infidelity.  As  the  serpent  beguiled 
Eve.  There  is  no  reason  for  finding  in  the  illustration  anything 
more  than  a  reference  to  the  story  of  Gen.  3:1-13.  (It  is  barely 
possible  that  there  is  a  reference  to  a  Rabbinical  legend  that  the 
serpent  disguised  as  an  angel  seduced  Eve  from  her  faithfulness 
to  Adam.  Apocalypse  of  Moses.)  Not  until  the  period  of  the 
Wisdom  Literature  was  the  serpent  identified  with  Satan,  Paul 
seems  to  associate  them  here.  Nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  there  mention  of  Eve. 

4.  For  if  he  that  cometh.  Here  is  Paul's  second  excuse  for 
his  little  foolishness.  Not  only  is  he  jealous  for  the  church  as 
Christ's  bride,  but  he  is  jealous  for  his  own  office  and  message, 
his  apostleship  and  his  gospel.  First  he  speaks  of  his  rival, 
the  preacher  of  another  gospel  (vs.  4)  ;  and  then  of  the  exalted 
character  of  his  own  office  and  gospel  (vss.  5,  6).  He  that 
cometh  can  scarcely  refer  to  any  one  individual.  Paul  uses 
this  general  term  to  refer  to  the  group  of  teachers  who  were  re- 
actionaries and  who  are  called  Judaizers.  What  Paul  puts  ironi- 
cally into  the  form  of  a  conditional  sentence  is  really  a  statement 
of  fact.  Another  Jesus.  He  does  not  say  another  Christ  (see 
note  on  4:10-14).  Only  there  and  in  this  verse  is  the  name 
Jesus  found  in  this  epistle  without  the  accompanying  title  Christ 
or  Lord.  A  different  spirit.  Paul's  preaching  of  Jesus  and  the 
reception  by  his  converts  of  the  spirit  were  a  part  of  the  "gospel" 

286 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       ii:6 

cometh  preacheth  another  Jesus,  whom  we  did  not 
preach,  or  //  ye  receive  a  different  spirit,  which  ye 
did  not  receive,  or  a  different  gospel,  which  ye  did 

5.  not  accept,  ye  do  well   to  bear  with  him.    For  I 
reckon  that  I  am  not  a  whit  behind  ^  the  very  chief- 

6.  est  apostles.     But  though  /  be  rude  in  speech,  yet 
am  I  not  in  knowledge;  nay,  in  everything  we  have 

^  Or,    those   preeminent   apostles. 

which  was  peculiarly  his  own.  It  was  a  proclamation  of  the 
good  news  that  the  cross  of  Christ  and  all  the  gifts  of  God's 
grace  were  for  Gentiles  as  much  as  for  Jews.  Against  the  whole 
world  Paul  was  willing  to  defend  that  thesis,  and  he  burned 
with  indignation  against  those  who  substituted  for  it  any  other 
kind  of  spirit  or  gospel.  See  Gal.  1:8-9;  Col.  1:26-28.  Ye  do 
well  to  bear  with  him.  It  is  literally,  ye  bear  with  him  beau- 
tifully. The  statement  is  of  course  ironical.  Like  the  Galatians 
they  were  inclined  to  follow  any  new  and  fascinating  propa- 
ganda, and  quickly  to  turn  their  backs  on  their  first  teacher. 
This  was  true  of  at  least  a  strong  element  in  the  church. 

5.  For.  The  jor  gives  the  reason  for  the  negative  statement 
implied  in  the  irony  of  verse  4.  It  is  not  a  beautiful  thing  to 
turn  their  backs  on  the  Jesus,  spirit  and  gospel  which  Paul  had 
preached  jor  the  self-styled  apostles  to  whom  they  have  turned 
are  in  no  way  superior  to  Paul.  The  very  chiefest  apostles. 
If  this  is  the  correct  rendering  it  is  a  reference  of  course  to  Peter, 
James  and  John,  and  Paul  is  maintaining  the  authority  of  his 
office  as  equal  to  theirs.  The  marginal  rendering  those  preemi- 
nent apostles  is,  however,  the  better.  Very  chiefest  means 
literally  "over  much"  or  "more  than  too  much,"  and  is  far  more 
likely  an  ironical  designation  of  the  Judaizing  leaders  to  whom 
he  has  already  referred,  and  whom  he  characterizes  as  false- 
apostles  (vs.  13).  In  12:11  the  same  phrase  is  repeated — over 
much  apostles,  and  with  the  same  reference.  These  men  must 
have  assumed  the  title  apostle. 

6.  But  though  I  be  rude  in  speech.  This  seems  to  be  the 
one  exception  Paul  makes.  The  "over  much"  apostles  may  be 
more  eloquent  orators  than  he.  But  in  knowledge  they  are 
not  superior.  For  the  proof  of  this  he  calls  on  his  record  to 
bear  witness.  His  teaching  has  been  public.  Those  who  have 
listened  to  him  can  judge  of  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  truth 
he  teaches. 

287 


II  :7       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

7.  made  it  manifest  among  all  men  to  you-ward.  Or  did 
I  commit  a  sin  in  abasing  myself  that  ye  might  be 
exalted,  because  I  preached  to  you  the  gospel  of 

8.  God  for  nought?     I  robbed  other  churches,  taking 

9.  wages  of  them  that  I  might  minister  unto  you;  and 


7.  I  preached  to  you  the  gospel  of  God  for  nought.    It 

is  quite  possible  that  those  hostile  to  Paul  used  to  his  discredit 
his  principle  of  gratuitous  preaching.  And,  if  so,  this  paragraph 
may  be  a  defense  of  another  trait  in  which  he  was  declared  to 
be  inferior  to  the  self-styled  apostles.  But  what  he  says  of  it 
in  verse  10,  no  man  shall  stop  me  of  this  glorying,  shows  that  it 
was  one  of  the  things  in  his  ministry  of  which  he  was  proud. 
In  the  outline  it  is  best  to  make  this  the  former  of  two  grounds 
which  excuse  his  "glorying."  There  is  still  the  irony  in  his  tone 
as  he  says,  did  I  commit  a  sin  in  humiliating  myself  for  your 
elevation.  Slavery  in  the  large  cities  of  the  empire  had  made 
manual  labor  by  a  freeman  not  only  a  disgrace  but  almost  an 
impossibility.  It  was  not  so  among  the  Jews  in  general,  but  in 
the  eyes  of  Gentiles  Paul  humiliated  himself  by  working  with  his 
hands  as  he  did  at  Corinth,  Thessalonica  and  Ephesus  (Acts 
18:3;  I  Thess.  2:9;  Acts  20:34).  Though  Paul  emphasizes  the 
support  he  received  from  other  churches  rather  than  from  his 
tent-making,  there  is  a  distinct  reference  to  the  latter  in  the 
word  abasing.  The  "over  much"  apostles  said  of  him  that  a 
teacher  who  would  teach  for  nothing  was  worth  just  about  what 
he  charged — he  was  no  worthy  apostle. 

8.  I  robbed  other  churches.  Robbed  is  a  strong  word  and 
primarily  a  military  word.  So  is  wages,  which  means  literally 
rations.  Paul  says  he  pillaged  other  churches  to  get  the  rations 
which  were  due  him  in  Corinth.  The  Macedonian  churches  were 
generous,  but  not  rich.  See  8:1-2.  In  accepting  their  generosity 
Paul  felt  as  if  he  robbed  them. 

It  is  possible  that  the  reference  here  is  to  the  church  in  Syrian 
Antioch.  Paul's  missionary  campaigns  started  from  Antioch  and 
ended  at  Antioch.  Very  likely  something  of  the  financial  burden 
was  borne  by  Antioch. 

g.  And  when  I  was  present  with  you.  The  emphasis  on 
when  I  was  present  implies  that  verse  8  refers  to  when  he  was 
absent.  The  reference  is  either  to  supplies  he  brought  with  him 
when  he  came  to  Corinth,  or  to  the  more  remote  financing  of 
his  campaigns  by  Antioch  or  by  other  churches.  I  was  not  a 
burden  on  any  man.     Paul  uses  a  rare  word.     It  is  either  a 

288 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     11:12 

when  I  was  present  with  you  and  was  in  want,  I  was 
not  a  burden  on  any  man;  for  the  brethren,  when 
they  came  from  Macedonia,  supplied  the  measure  of 
my  want;  and  in  everything  I  kept  myself  from  being 

10.  burdensome  unto  you,  and  so  will  I  keep  myself.    As 
the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me,  no  man  shall  stop  me  of 

11.  this  glorying  in  the  regions  of  Achaia.     Wherefore? 

12.  because  I  love  you  not?    God  knoweth.    But  what  I 

technical  word,  perhaps  medical,  or  a  colloquial  word  with  a 
slang  meaning.  It  seems  to  mean  to  reduce  to  a  state  of  torpor; 
perhaps  to  squeeze  into  numbness  (the  English  "narcotic"  is  de- 
rived from  its  stem)  ;  and  so  possibly  it  is  the  equivalent  of  "to 
sponge  on."  The  brethren.  Probably  Silas  and  Timothy  (see 
Acts  18:5). 

10.  As  the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me.  This  is  not  strictly 
an  asseveration  but  its  force  is  equivalent  to  one.  Literally  it 
should  be  rendered  the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me  that  this  glorying 
of  mine  shall  not  be  stopped,  i.e.,  it  is  Christ's  spirit  of  truth  in 
me  which  affirms  that — (cf.  1:18). 

This  glorying,  i.e.,  in  his  gratuitous  preaching.  He  glories  in 
it  and  nothing  can  make  him  ashamed  of  it  or  sorry  for  it.  In 
the  regions  of  Achaia.  Regions  is  a  word  peculiar  to  Paul 
(cf.  Rom.  15:23;  Gal.  1:21).  Achaia,  the  Roman  province,  is  in 
contrast  with  Macedonia  (vs.  9) .  It  is  not  to  the  Macedonians 
that  he  boasts  of  gratuitous  preaching  in  Achaia. 

11.  Wherefore?  "Why  do  I  insist  on  preaching  without 
remuneration?  God  knows  it  is  not  because  I  do  not  love  you." 
It  is  a  mark  of  real  friendship  and  affection  to  be  willing  to 
accept  favors.  His  opponents  in  Corinth  had  said  that  if  Paul 
really  cared  for  the  church  as  he  said  he  did  he  would  have 
accepted  his  support  from  it. 

12.  But.  Here  is  the  real  ground  for  its  expediency  as  Paul 
sees  it.  It  is  to  checkmate  those  who  are  seeking  an  opening 
through  which  to  injure  his  influence.  Occasion.  Better  the 
occasion,  i.e.,  the  point  of  attack  from  which  they  hoped  to  hurt 
him.  That  .  .  .  they  may  be  found  even  as  we.  It  is  much 
better  to  read  this  as  the  occasion  which  they  desire.  Omit  the 
semicolon  after  occasion,  and  let  it  read:  An  opportunity  ta  be 
found,  in  the  matter  in  which  they  glory,  just  like  us.  The  mean- 
ing is  uncertain,  but  this  rendering  would  explain  it  in  this  way: 
The  "over-much"  apostles  considered  it  a  sign  of  apostolic  au- 
thority  to    let    the   church   carry    the    burden    of    their   support, 

289 


ii:i3     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


do,  that  I  will  do,  that  I  may  cut  off  ^  occasion  from 
them  which  desire  an  occasion;   that  wherein  they 

13.  glory,  they  may  be  found  even  as  we.  For  such  men 
are  false  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  fashioning  them- 

14.  selves  into  apostles  of  Christ.  And  no  marvel;  for 
even  Satan  fashioneth  himself  into  an  angel  of  light. 

15.  It  is  no  great  thing  therefore  if  his  ministers  also 
fashion  themselves  as  ministers  of  righteousness; 
whose  end  shall  be  according  to  their  works. 

16.  I  say  again,  Let  no  man  think  me  foolish;  but  if 


Gr.,   the  occasion   of  them. 


Although  they  tried  to  discredit  Paul's  apostleship  because  he 
did  not  follow  their  example,  they  nevertheless  felt  the  strength 
of  his  position  of  independence  and  chafed  under  it.  If  they 
could  ridicule  or  abuse  Paul  into  accepting  support  then  they 
would  be  found  even  as  he.  Paul  understood  their  motive  and 
checkmated  it.  As  Paul  seems  never  to  have  accepted  support 
at  Corinth,  this  ground  for  its  expediency  has  to  do  only  with 
recent  conditions.  He  will  not  be  stopped  in  this  glorying  by 
the  recent  opposition:     What  I  do  that  I  will  do. 

13.  Three  things  Paul  says  about  those  who  desire  an  occasion: 
(a)  Their  identity.  They  are  false  apostles;  dishonest  workers; 
masqueraders,  fashioning  themselves  into  apostles  of  Christ. 
This  is  direct,  personal  and  unequivocal.  There  is  no  dodging  of 
the  issue.  He  will  not  give  such  men  any  opportunity  to  put 
their  apostleship  on  an  equal  footing  with  his  own. 

14.  And  no  marvel.  This  introduces  {b)  Their  authority. 
They  are  ministers  of  Satan,  whose  example  they  follow.  Even 
Satan  masquerades  as  an  angel  of  light.  Satan  was  the  Prince 
of  Darkness  (Eph.  6:12;  Col.  1:13).  When  he  masqueraded  it 
was  as  an  angel  of  light.  If  Paul  had  any  particular  tradition  m 
mind  we  cannot  locate  it. 

15.  His  ministers.  Another  very  definite  statement  as  to 
what  these  false  apostles  are.  They  are  Satan's  ministers  mas- 
querading, like  their  master,  as  ministers  of  righteousness. 
Whose  end.  This  is  the  third  thing,  (c),  their  end;  it  shall  be 
according  to  their  works,  i.e.,  not  according  to  their  masquer- 
admg  costume,  the  thing  they  pretend  to  be,  but  according  to 
what  they  actually  are. 

16.  I  say  again.     In  verse  i,  to  which  the  again  refers,  he 

290 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     11:19 

ye  do,  yet  as  foolish  receive  me,  that  I  also  may 

17.  glory  a  little.    That  which  I  speak,  I  speak  not  after 
the  Lord,  but  as  in  foolishness,  in  this  confidence  of 

18.  glorying.     Seeing  that  many  glory  after  the  flesh,  I 

19.  will  glory  also.    For  ye  bear  with  the  foolish  gladly, 


had  asked  the  readers  to  bear  with  him  in  a  little  foolishness. 
He  is  even  there  looking  forward  to  this  recital  of  his  grounds 
m  the  flesh  for  glorying.  Paul's  extreme  reluctance  in  making 
this  recital  is  very  evident  from  the  difficulty  he  finds  in  getting 
started.  Verse  16  introduces,  in  the  outline,  the  second  of  the 
grounds  which  excuse  his  "glorying."  This  second  ground  is  his 
honor  in  the  flesh.  Verses  16-21,  however,  are  an  introduction 
to  this  recital.  They  contain  a  plea  for  leniency  toward  his 
"little  folly."  Let  no  man  think  me  foolish.  This  is  not 
exactly  what  he  said  before  (vs.  i),  but  his  plea  is  not  very 
different.  If  they  must  think  him  foolish,  as  he  himself  feels,  yet 
they  can  be  lenient  in  their  judgment  and  listen  to  his  foolishness. 
That  I  also  may  glory  a  little.  It  is  the  "glorying"  of  others 
that  has  driven  him  to  talk  this  way  about  his  own  claims.  He 
did  not  begin  it. 

17.  Not  after  the  Lord.  In  most  that  Paul  had  to  say  he 
spoke  after  the  Lord.  But  for  this  glorying  that  is  to  follow  he 
takes,  in  his  own  human  capacity,  the  full  responsibility.  It 
seems  so  foolish,  that  he  does  not  wish  to  compromise  his  Lord 
and  his  message  by  charging  this  up  to  him.  In  this  confidence 
of  glorying,  i.e.,  in  this  confident  glorying.  If  he  must  boast 
he  will  boast  just  as  confidently,  with  just  as  much  assurance,  as 
his  boasting  opponents. 

18.  After  the  fiesh.  Here  for  the  first  time  he  tells  just  what 
line  his  glorying  is  to  take.  It  is  not  now  his  authority  as  an 
apostle  or  his  spiritual  power  of  which  he  speaks.  It  is  his  claim 
to  honor  as  a  man.  It  includes  his  ancestry,  his  endurance  of 
physical  hardships  in  his  ministry,  and  the  special  visions  and 
revelations  which  have  been  granted  him.  These  are  not  the 
highest  grounds  for  glorying;  they  are  rather  low;  they  are 
after  the  flesh.  But  as  the  Judaizers  boast  of  such  things,  Paul 
will  descend  to  their  level  and  show  that  he  is  not  a  whit  be- 
hind those  "preeminent"  apostles  even  in  such  things. 

19.  For  ye  bear  with  the  foolish  gladly,  being  wise. 
This  of  course  is  a  keen  sarcasm.  He  goes  on  to  show  how 
"wise"  they  have  been.  Only  the  foolish  will  be  impatient  with 
foolishness.    Wise  men  can  afford  to  be  patient. 

291 


ii:2o     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2  0.  being  wise  yourselves.  For  ye  bear  with  a  man,  if  he 
bringeth  you  into  bondage,  if  he  devoureth  you,  if 
he  taketh  you  captive,  if  he  exalteth  himself,  if  he 

21.  smiteth  you  on  the  face.  I  speak  by  way  of  dis- 
paragement, as  though  we  had  been  weak.  Yet 
whereinsoever  any  is  bold  (I  speak  in  foolishness),  I 

22.  am  bold  also.  Are  they  Hebrews?  so  am  I.  Are  they 

20.  For.  The  explanation  of  their  "wise"  patience  with  the 
foolish,  i.e.,  with  his  boasting  rivals.  Ye  bear  with  a  man  if. 
Then  follow  five  very  vigorous  descriptions  of  the  way  in  which 
these   false   apostles   have   treated   the   Corinthian   church.     Paul 

puts  them  into  the  form  of  a  hypothesis,  if  he  bringeth They 

are  patient  with  (i)  one  who  makes  a  tool  of  them  (Uterally, 
enslaves)  ;  (2)  one  who  lives  off  of  them;  (3)  one  who  dupes 
them  (literally  "gets"  them)  ;  (4)  one  who  takes  on  airs;  (5) 
one  who  insults  them  (literally  "skins"  them  to  their  face).  All 
of  these  are  doubtless  figurative,  and  all  refer  to  the  heavy 
burden  laid  by  the  false  apostles  on  the  church.  If  he  smiteth 
you.  The  word  smite  is  used  constantly  for  a  blow  either  of  the 
hand  or  of  a  rod  (Jn.  18:23;  i  Cor.  9:26).  Its  primary  mean- 
ing, however,  is  to  skin,  or  to  flay.  From  the  effect  of  blows 
on  the  skin  the  word  came  to  denote  merely  a  blow,  but  it 
retains  something  of  its  original  meaning  always.  Cf.  the  English 
colloquialisms  "to  flay,"  "to  hide,"  "to  skin."  The  Greek  had 
plenty  of  other  words  for  a  blow  with  the  fist,  had  Paul  cared 
to  use  them. 

21.  I  speak  by  way  of  disparagement.  There  is  irony  in 
this  too.  By  referring  to  the  great  strength  of  these  false  apostles, 
Paul  says,  I  throw  discredit  on  myself  and  make  myself  out  to 
be  weak  by  comparison,  for  I  have  not  been  strong  with  you  in 
the  way  they  have.  Then  his  tone  changes.  The  irony  is  gone. 
And  he  leads  at  last  directly  to  his  subject  with  the  words: 
"speaking  still  in  foolishness,  I  am  as  bold  as  the  boldest.  What- 
ever any  one  of  them  dares,  I  dare  also."  This  launches  him  on 
a  most  remarkable  biographical  sketch. 

22.  First,  in  Jewish  ancestry  and  race  his  honor  is  second  to 
none.  Hebrews.  Aramaic  speaking  Jews;  Jews  who  had  not 
forgotten  the  mother  tongue;  usually  Jews  of  Palestine.  A  term 
of  great  honor.  Israelites.  Members  of  the  nation  which 
traced  its  origin  to  Jacob  (Israel)  and  which  had,  through  all 
its  history,  been  theocratic,  a  nation  whose  God  was  the  Lord. 
A  term  of  still  greater  honor.    See  Jn.  1:47.    Seed  of  Abraham. 

292 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      11:24 

Israelites?  so  am  I.   Are  they  the  seed  of  Abraham? 

23.  so  am  I.  Are  they  ministers  of  Christ?  (I  speak  as 
one  beside  himself)  I  more;  in  labours  more  abun- 
dantly, in  prisons  more  abundantly,  in  stripes  above 

24.  measure,  in  deaths  oft.    Of  the  Jews  five  times  re- 


Heirs  of  all  the  promises  made  to  Abraham,  the  father  of  the 
race.  A  term  of  the  greatest  honor.  If  the  false  apostles  could 
boast  of  any  or  all  of  these  honors,  so  could  Paul. 

23.  Second,  as  a  minister  of  Christ.  Paul  has  called  them 
fcUse  apostles  and  Satan's  ministers.  They  call  themselves 
apostles  and  ministers  of  Christ.  This  defines  fairly  accurately 
who  they  were.  They  were  Christians,  and  they  were  Jews. 
They  claimed  to  be  more  genuinely  ministers  of  Christ  than  Paul 
and  more  worthy  Jews.  That  is,  they  were  Judaizers,  seeking 
to  ground  all  Christian  faith  first  of  all  in  Jewish  form  and 
ceremony.  As  one  beside  himself.  This  is  a  stronger  word 
than  foolish,  but  from  the  same  root.  The  words  might  be  ren- 
dered "without  sense"  and  "out  of  my  senses."  If  it  was  "with- 
out sense"  to  glory,  he  is  "out  of  his  senses"  to  claim  to  be  more 
than  a  minister  of  Christ.  I  more.  If  they  are  ministers  of 
Christ,  Paul  says,  though  it  be  madness  to  say  it,  /  am  more. 
Their  ministry  of  Christ  has  meant  ease.  They  have  fattened 
themselves  on  the  Corinthians.  Paul's  ministry  of  Christ  had 
meant  something  far  beyond  that.  In  labours  more  abun- 
dantly. Paul's  list  of  his  experiences  of  hardship,  trial  and  suffer- 
ing is  exceedingly  brief  and  compact.  It  tells  much  more  than  is 
given  in  the  narrative  in  Acts,  and  shows  how  far  from  exag- 
geration that  record  is.  This  list  may  be  outlined  under  four 
heads:  First,  hardships  at  the  hands  of  magistrates  and  mobs. 
At  first  he  speaks  in  general  terms,  labors,  prisons,  stripes,  deaths. 
Then  he  particularizes.  He  was  human  enough  to  have  counted 
the  times.  He  uses  the  comparative  twice,  more  abundantly, 
i.e.,  more  abundantly  than  they.  Then  he  forgets  the  compari- 
son entirely  and  speaks  only  of  his  own  experience.  Labours  is 
the  most  general  word.  Possibly  it  includes  all  that  follows. 
It  means  troubles.  In  prisons  more  abundantly.  Of  only  one 
imprisonment  up  to  this  point  has  Acts  told  us,  that  at  Philippi 
(Acts  16:23-40).  In  stripes  above  measure.  Of  this  he  gives 
the  details  and  the  count  below.  Except  for  this  our  account  is 
as  meager  as  for  the  prisons.  In  deaths  oft.  As,  e.g.,  the  nar- 
row escape  referred  to  in  1:8-9. 

24.  Forty  stripes  save  one.    The  Jewish  law  (Deut.  25:1-3) 

293 


11125     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

25.  ceived  I  forty  stripes  save  one.  Thrice  was  I  beaten 
with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I  suffered  ship- 

26.  wreck,  a  night  and  a  day  have  I  been  in  the  deep;  in 
joumeyings  often,  in  perils  of  rivers,  in  perils  of  rob- 
bers, in  perils  from  my  ^  countrymen,  in  perils  from 
the  Gentiles,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the 
wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false 

27.  brethren;  in  labour  and  travail,  in  watchings  often,  in 

^  Gr.,   race, 

allowed  forty  stripes,  no  more.  For  fear  of  a  miscount  and  so 
of  exceeding  the  number  the  executioner  always  stopped  at  one 
short  of  forty.  These  were  lashes  with  a  scourge,  and  were 
administered  in  the  Synagogue.  Acts  mentions  none  of  the  five 
times. 

25.  Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods.  This  was  the  Roman 
method  of  punishment.  Luke  records  one  instance  of  the  three 
(Acts  16:23).  His  Roman  citizenship  should  have  saved  Paul 
from  this  form  of  punishment.  Once  was  I  stoned.  See  Acts 
14:19.  Thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck.  Here  begins  the  second 
group  of  experiences — hardships  from  travel,  danger  and  ex- 
posure. Of  the  shipwrecks  previous  to  this  time  we  have  no 
other  information,  nor  of  the  twenty-four  hours  in  the  deep. 

26.  In  journeyings  often.  Paul  turns  again  to  the  general 
and  uses  often  instead  of  the  actual  number  of  hardships.  Jour- 
neyings seems  to  introduce  the  various  forms  of  perils,  just  as 
labors  introduced  the  experiences  with  magistrates  and  mobs. 
In  perils.  There  are  eight  of  these — four  are  local,  four  are 
personal.  There  are  perils  of  rivers,  sea,  wilderness,  city;  and 
there  are  perils  of  robbers,  Jews,  Gentiles,  even  Christians — false 
brethren.  Paul  does  not  arrange  them  in  their  order.  My  coun- 
trymen (or  literally  my  race)  is  contrasted  with  Gentiles;  and 
wilderness  with  sea.  In  the  others  contrast  is  lacking.  They  are 
memories  which  spring  up  in  his  mind  as  he  thinks  of  the  two 
campaigns  which  we  call  "journeys,"  which  covered  the  ten  years 
from  47  to  57  A.D.  It  is  possible  that  some  of  the  dangers,  like 
that  of  verses  32-33,  occurred  during  the  fourteen  years  after  his 
conversion,  of  which  so  little  is  known  (Gal.  2:1). 

27.  In  labour  and  travail.  There  is  still  a  fifth  group  which 
has  to  do  chiefly  with  conditions  of  exposure.  It  is  introduced 
by  the  word  labor,  as  he  introduced  the  whole  series  with  the 
plural  of  the  same  word,  labors   (vs.   23).     Labor  and  travail, 

294 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     11:29 

hunger  and   thirst,  in   fastings  often,   in  cold  and 

28.  nakedness.     ^  Beside  those  things  that  are  without, 
there  is  that  which  presseth  upon  me  daily,  anxiety 

29.  for  all  the  churches.     Who  is  weak,  and  I  am  not 

'  Or,  Beside  the  things  which  I  omit.  Or,  Beside  the  things  that 
come    out    of   course. 

i.e.,  toil  and  trouble,  may  refer  to  his  continued  hard  work  wher- 
ever he  preached.  In  that  case  the  following  experiences  may  be 
descriptive  of  his  hardships  even  when  he  was  not  in  imminent 
danger.  In  watchings  often,  i.e.,  sleeplessness,  long  vigils  made 
necessary  by  his  work.  He  did  not  spare  himself.  In  fastings 
often.  Probably  not  ceremonial  fastings,  but,  Uke  his  watchings, 
periods  when  he  was  too  busy  or  too  preoccupied  to  eat.  In 
hunger  and  thirst  ...  in  cold  and  nakedness.  These  were 
involuntary  hardship  and  exposure  incurred  during  the  course  of 
his  arduous  tasks.  How  little  the  narrative  in  Acts  tells  of  the 
cost  to  Paul  of  his  apostleship  and  ministry ! 

28.  Beside  those  things  that  are  without.  If  this  rendering 
is  correct,  then  he  contrasts  his  external  troubles  with  the 
anxieties  of  his  mind  and  heart.  The  exact  meaning  is  uncer- 
tain. Either  of  the  alternative  readings  in  the  margin  may  be 
the  right  one.  The  former  of  the  two  seems  the  more  probable, 
beside  the  things  which  I  omit,  which  is  equivalent  to  saying, 
not  to  mention  the  pressure  upon  me  every  day,  anxiety  for  all 
the  churches.  We  know  a  Uttle  of  his  anxiety  over  the  church 
at  Corinth.  There  were  at  least  eight  other  cities  where  Paul 
had  personally  organized  churches,  Antioch,  Iconium,  Lystra, 
Derbe,  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Beroea,  and  Ephesus.  But  this 
gives  only  Luke's  brief  account.  Not  only  were  there  others 
that  Paul  had  personally  established,  but  he  counted  as  his  own 
those  which  his  band  of  assistants  had  founded.  The  number  of 
these  can  be  inferred  from  such  phrases  as  the  whole  of  Achaia 
(1:1);  all  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia  (Acts  19:10);  throughout 
all  the  region  (Acts  13:49).  If  Paul  bore  the  problems  of  all 
the  churches  on  his  heart  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  spent  sleepless 
nights  and  days  of  fastings. 

29.  Who  is  weak  and  I  am  not  weak?  He  gives  two  ex- 
amples of  his  anxiety  for  all  the  churches.  But  these  are  ex- 
amples not  of  church  problems  but  of  the  problems  of  individual 
men  and  women.  Weak  is  explained  by  i  Cor.  8:9-13.  Made 
to  stumble  is  the  result  to  some  weak  brother  of  the  ruthless 
action  of  one  who  was  stronger.     By  such  action  Paul's  indigna- 

295 


11:30     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

weak?  who  is  made  to  stumble,  and  I  bum  not? 

30.  If  I  must  needs  glory,  I  will  glory  of  the  things 

31.  that  concern  my  weakness.  The  God  and  Father 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  who  is  blessed  ^  for  evermore, 

32.  knoweth  that  I  lie  not.  In  Damascus  the  governor 
under  Aretas  the  king  guarded  the  city  of  the  Dam- 

33.  ascenes,  in  order  to  take  me:  and  through  a  win- 
dow was  I  let  down  in  a  basket  by  the  wall,  and 
escaped  his  hands. 

^  Gr.,  unto  the  ages. 

tion  is  roused.  Doubtless  the  brief  reference  in  the  letter  would 
bring  to  his  readers  many  memories  of  instances  at  Corinth  when 
Paul  burned  with  shame  and  righteous  anger. 

30.  The  word  weak  brings  him  back  to  the  thought  of  his 
glorying,  and  from  this  point  on  it  is  his  weakness  which  he 
makes  the  object  of  that  glorying  (12:6,  9,  10).  Of  this  he  is 
willing  to  boast. 

31.  Paul  interrupts  himself  with  a  very  strong  asseveration 
that  he  is  telling  the  truth.  He  occasionally  in  his  letters  does 
this  (see  Gal.  1:20;  Rom.  9:1).  It  is  not  very  clear  just  what 
the  need  here  of  such  an  asseveration  is.  The  simplest  explana- 
tion is  to  refer  it  back  to  all  he  has  said  since  verse  16,  but 
especially  the  conclusion  to  the  paragraph  (vs.  30)  where  he 
affirms  that  his  real  glorying  is  in  his  weakness.  It  is  not  easy 
to  convince  anyone  that  a  man  can  really  take  pleasure  in  weak- 
nesses, as  Paul  affirms  of  himself  (12:10).  The  asseveration  looks 
forward  only  as  Paul  reiterates  his  glorying  in  the  things  that 
concern  his  weakness. 

32.  In  Damascus  .  .  .  Here  is  a  tremendous  anti-climax.  A 
wonderful  series  of  hardships  in  groups  in  which  not  a  single 
incident  is  given  in  detail,  is  followed  by  a  very  ludicrous  inci- 
dent which  antedated  them  all.  Why  should  Paul  spoil  in  this 
way  an  eloquent  and  most  effective  recital  of  hardships?  Cer- 
tainly it  was  not  because  it  was  the  earliest  of  them  all,  and 
so  made  the  most  impression;  certainly  not  because  he  thought 
it  the  best  illustrative  instance  of  all  his  troubles,  or  of  his 
weaknesses.  The  only  adequate  explanation  is  that  he  could 
never  think  of  himself  as  descending  down  a  wall  in  a  basket 
without  seeing  in  it  its  ludicrous  side,  and  he  purposely  uses  it 
for  an  anti-climax.  He  has  been  writing  under  a  strong  nervous 
tension.    He  breaks  the  tension  with  this  Damascus  picture.     He 

296 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       12:1 

12.    I.  ^  I  must  needs  glory,  though  it  is  not  expedient; 
but  I  will  come  to  visions  and  revelations  of  the  Lord. 

1  Some  ancient  authorities  read  Now  to  glory  is  not  expedient,  but  I 
will    come,    etc. 

comes  down  from  his  high  pitch  of  exalted  emotion  by  way  of 
a  humorous  anecdote  of  himself,  a  window,  a  basket  and  an 
escape.  There  is  no  reason  why  Paul's  humor  should  not  have 
given  relief  to  his  other  intense  emotions.  This  makes  it  easy 
for  him  to  go  on  with  his  glorying  in  less  tense  style. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  a  reference  to  the  incident 
of  Acts  9:25,  where  the  wall  and  the  basket  and  the  escape  are 
mentioned.  But  Paul  adds  the  historical  fact,  otherwise  un- 
known, that  Aretas  IV,  king  of  the  Arab  Nabataeans  (b.c.  9  to 
A.D.  39)  held  Damascus  under  his  control.  The  governor  of 
Damascus  was  under  Aretas. 

12:1.  The  climax  of  Paul's  recital  of  his  experiences  was 
reached  with  the  asseveration  of  11:31.  The  twelfth  chapter 
continues  his  glorying,  but  the  tense  strain  is  for  the  moment 
relieved.  He  comes  now  to  his  third  point  under  "his  honor  in 
the  flesh,"  viz.,  his  visions  and  revelations. 

I  must  needs  glory.  The  text  is  uncertain,  as  the  rendering 
in  the  margin  indicates.  The  meaning  is  not  very  different  if 
the  alternative  translation  is  accepted.  It  is  another  apology  for 
glorying.  It  is  not  expedient,  i.e.,  it  does  not  help  matters 
much,  but  it  is  forced  upon  me.  Visions  and  revelations  of 
the  Lord,  i.e.,  granted  by  the  Lord.  Just  what  Paul  means  is 
to  be  discovered  in  the  illustration  of  a  vision  which  follows. 
He  was  a  man  of  visions,  but  this  particular  word  for  vision 
occurs  rarely  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is  used  of  Zacharias' 
vision  (Lk.  1:22);  of  the  women  at  the  tomb  (Lk.  24:23)  and 
of  Paul's  experience  on  the  road  to  Damascus  (Acts  26:19)  ;  no- 
where else.  But  another  word  is  used  several  times  of  Paul's 
visions  in  dreams  (Acts  16:9;  18:9)  which  were  frequent  (see 
also  Acts  23:11;  27:23).  As  to  revelations,  Paul  felt  that  his 
whole  life  was  guided  by  revelations  of  the  Lord  (see  Gal.  1:12; 
2:2;  Eph.  3:3).  Nowhere  have  we  any  more  details  in  regard 
to  the  nature  of  visions  and  revelations  than  are  given  us  here. 
Some  were  in  dreams  at  night;  one  occurred  in  the  Temple  when 
he  was  praying,  and  is  called  a  trance  (Acts  22:17);  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  his  conversion  he  calls  a  "vision"  (Acts 
26:19).  But  he  can  speak  of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  reve- 
lations, and  look  upon  them  as  affording  a  reason  for  his  being 
exalted  overmuch  (vs.  7). 

297 


12  12       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2.  I  know  a  man  in  Christ,  fourteen  years  ago  (whether 
in  the  body,  I  know  not;  or  whether  out  of  the  body, 
I  know  not;   God  knoweth),  such  a  one  caught  up 

3.  even  to  the  third  heaven.  And  I  know  such  a  man 
(whether  in  the  body,  or  apart  from  the  body,  I  know 

4.  not;  God  knoweth),  how  that  he  was  caught  up  into 

2.  I  know  a  man  in  Christ.  The  man  of  course  is  Paul 
himself.  Verse  7  makes  that  plain,  if  there  could  be  any  doubt. 
In  Christ  is  the  equivalent  of  Christian  in  its  largest  and 
noblest  sense.  A  man  in  Christ  is  one  whose  life  is  lived  in 
that  sphere,  or  realm,  in  which  Christ  is  absolutely  dominant. 
When  Paul  is  glorying  of  a  man  in  Christ  he  is  glorying  in  the 
Lord,  not  in  himself.  Fourteen  years  ago.  If  the  date  of  this 
letter  is  57  a.d.,  the  vision  occurred  in  the  year  44.  Paul  can 
locate  it  exactly.  It  was  not  long  before  Barnabas  went  to 
Tarsus  to  get  Paul  and  bring  him  to  Antioch.  It  is  therefore 
just  at  the  threshold  of  Paul's  active  Gentile  work.  Possibly 
his  vision  gave  him  a  look  into  the  future,  not  only  of  his  own 
life,  but  of  the  world-wide  gospel  he  was  to  preach.  Whether 
in  the  body.  The  experience  Paul  well  remembers.  The  con- 
ditions which  made  it  possible  he  does  not  know,  and  he  is 
willing  to  leave  the  knowledge  of  all  that  to  God.  He  felt 
caught  up,  carried  off,  to  the  third  heaven.  Paul  has  very 
little  to  say  in  his  epistles  about  heaven  as  a  place.  It  is  rather 
remarkable  in  view  of  the  fact  that  contemporary  Jewish  litera- 
ture was  very  minute  in  its  description  of  a  seven-fold  heaven, 
like  a  great  seven-story  apartment,  each  floor  with  its  own  par- 
ticular occupants.  The  probability  is  that  Paul  is  writing  figura- 
tively here.  He  is  not  counting  heavens.  The  third  heaven 
means  simply  to  the  highest  point  of  spiritual  exaltation. 

3.  And  I  know  such  a  man.  There  is  no  sufficient  reason 
to  think  that  this  is  a  second  experience  of  ecstasy.  It  is  a 
poetic  repetition  of  verse  2.     There  is  but  one  experience. 

4.  Caught  up  into  Paradise.  There  is  nothing  in  the  words 
Paul  used  to  imply  that  Paradise  was  up.  He  was  "carried  off 
to  Paradise."  Probably,  however,  Paradise  is  another  term 
for  the  third  heaven.  It  is  not  a  common  word  in  the  New 
Testament  (found  only  in  Lk.  23:43;  Rev.  2:7;  2  Cor.  12:4). 
Originally  meaning  a  hunting  park,  then  a  pleasure  park,  it  was 
used  in  Genesis  for  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  came  in  later 
Jewish  thought  to  be  applied  to  the  abode  of  the  righteous  after 
death.     It  was  located  variously.     In  Paul's  use  it  is  figurative. 

298 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS        12:7 

Paradise,  and  heard  unspeakable  words,  which  it  is 

5.  not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter.  On  behalf  of  such  a 
one  will  I  glory:  but  on  mine  own  behalf  I  will  not 

6.  glory,  save  in  my  weaknesses.  For  if  I  should  desire 
to  glory,  I  shall  not  be  foolish ;  for  I  shall  speak  the 
truth:  but  I  forbear,  lest  any  man  should  account  of 
me  above  that  which  he  seeth  me  to  be,  or  heareth 

7.  from  me.    And  by  reason  of  the  exceeding  greatness 


And  heard  unspeakable  words.  The  following  clause  ex- 
plains his  meaning.  Unspeakable,  or  unutterable,  words  is  a 
contradiction.  He  heard  what  it  is  not  possible  (better  than 
lazvful)  for  a  man  to  utter.  The  description  could  scarcely  be 
more  vague.  Paul  got  an  indelible  impression  of  spiritual  sig- 
nificance, but  he  could  not  repeat  it  in  words.  It  was  one  of  the 
great  impressions  of  his  life,  but  he  is  able  to  give  his  readers 
only  a  veiled  description  of  what  it  was  like. 

5.  On  behalf  of  such  a  one.  It  is  not  glorying  on  his  own 
behalf  to  glory  in  a  man  in  Christ  who  was  given  such  visions 
of  the  Lord.  Save  in  my  weaknesses.  With  this  he  comes 
back  to  the  thought  of  11:30.  So  far  as  he  himself  is  concerned 
all  his  glorying  shall  be  only  in  his  weaknesses. 

6.  For.  The  connection  of  thought  seems  to  be:  "I  refuse 
to  glor>'  in  anything  but  my  weaknesses,  for  if  I  should  desire  to 
glory  in  my  privileges  and  honors  the  plain  unvarnished  truth 
would  prove  so  big  a  thing  that  the  terms  'fool'  and  'foolishness' 
would  have  no  significance  at  all."  When  Paul  boasts  of  in- 
significant things  he  might  be  open  to  the  charge  of  foolish- 
ness; not  so  if  he  should  begin  to  glory  in  his  visions  and  reve- 
lations. But  I  forbear  lest.  Paul  prefers  to  be  known  by  what 
he  is  and  does  and  says,  not  by  an  exaggerated  estimate  which 
a  long  story  about  his  visions  and  other  honors  might  create. 

7.  Some  texts  place  the  first  clause  of  verse  7  with  the  last  of 
verse  6.  The  original  reading  is  uncertain.  The  thought  is  not 
changed  very  much  by  the  change  in  punctuation.  It  is  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  the  revelations,  by  which  he  does  not  wish 
to  be  estimated,  and  it  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  revela- 
tions which,  in  his  judgment,  made  necessary  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh.  This  thorn  is  the  weakness  that  counterbalances  the  over 
much  exaltation.  The  thorn  in  the  flesh  lifts  again  the  veil, 
which  in  all  this  recital  of  personal  experiences  Paul  has  lifted 
a  few  times  only — the  veil  that  so  completely  hides  his  personal 

299 


12:8       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

of  the  revelations — wherefore,  that  I  should  not  be 
exalted  overmuch,  there  was  given  to  me  a  ^  thorn  in 
the  flesh,  a  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  that  I 

8.  should  not  be  exalted  overmuch.     Concerning  this 
thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  de- 

9.  part  from  me.    And  he  hath  said  unto  me.  My  grace 

^  Or,  stake. 

life.  The  lifting  of  the  veil  gives  only  the  briefest  and  most 
unsatisfactory  glimpse  into  the  inner  life  of  the  man  Paul.  No 
one  knows  what  the  thorn  in  the  flesh  was.  From  the  earliest 
interpreters  down  to  the  present  the  attempts  at  its  identifica- 
tion have  been  many  and  varied.  And  when  the  interpreter 
had  any  special  physical  or  temperamental  disability  he  was  quite 
likely  to  guess  that  his  thorn  and  Paul's  were  the  same.  In  the 
early  church  headache,  earache,  persecutions,  a  personal  enemy, 
were  suggested;  the  Middle  Ages  were  quite  unanimous  in  guess- 
ing carnal  temptations;  the  reformers  thought  it  was  spiritual 
doubts;  in  recent  times  epilepsy,  ophthalmia,  m^alarial  fever, 
hysteria,  have  had  their  advocates.  Paul  left  his  readers'  curi- 
osity unsatisfied.  A  stake  for  the  flesh  is  possibly  a  more  accu- 
rate rendering  than  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  but  it  throws  no  light 
on  the  metaphor.  It  was  chiefly  physical  or  nervous,  and  it  was 
painful.  More  than  that  is  only  conjecture.  Paul  considered  it 
a  messenger  of  Satan,  whose  purpose  was  to  buffet  (hit  with 
the  fist)   and  to  keep  him  humble. 

8.  I  iDesought  the  Lord  thrice.  There  may  have  been  three 
periods  in  his  Ufe,  or  three  special  occasions  when  it  seemed 
unbearable. 

9.  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.  There  seems  to  be  a 
parallel  in  Jesus'  prayer  in  Gethsemane.  The  apparent  answer 
was  "No";  yet  Paul  got,  not  what  he  asked,  but  what  he  needed 
and  really  desired.  He  received  a  sufficient  supply  of  Christ's 
gracious  favor  and  a  gift  of  strength  such  that  the  thorn  was 
made  not  only  bearable  but  enjoyable.  For  explains  the  answer. 
It  is  a  paradox  of  the  spiritual  world.  There  is  no  power  like 
human  weakness  touched  by  the  strength  of  Christ.  Most 
gladly.  The  answer  to  his  repeated  prayer  gives  him  all  that 
he  hoped  for.  He  is  glad  at  the  result,  and  has  another  ground 
for  glorying  in  his  weaknesses.  The  strength  of  Christ.  This 
indicates  that  by  the  Lord,  in  verse  8,  he  meant  Christ.  May 
rest  upon  me.  The  alternative  reading  in  the  margin,  spread 
a  tabernacle  over  me,  is  more  literal  and  more  picturesque. 

300 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     12:11 

is  sufficient  for  thee:  for  my  power  is  made  perfect  in 
weakness.  Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory 
in  my  weaknesses,  that  the  strength  of  Christ  m.ay 

10.  ^  rest  upon  me.  Wherefore  I  take  pleasure  in  weak- 
nesses, in  injuries,  in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in 
distresses,  for  Christ's  sake:  for  when  I  am  weak, 
then  am  I  strong. 

11.  I   am  become  foolish:   ye  compelled   me;    for  I 

*  Or.  cover  me;   Gr.,  spread  a  tabernacle  over  me. 

10.  Wherefore  introduces  his  final  summary.  It  is  an  elab- 
orated repetition  of  what  has  just  preceded.  I  take  pleasure  in. 
"I  welcome,"  "I  deem  best,"  or  "I  am  pleased  with"  are  nearer 
Paul's  thought  than  /  take  pleasure  in.  In  weaknesses. 
Weaknesses  is  the  general  word  he  has  used  (11:30;  12:5,  9),  of 
which  he  now  gives  four  specifications.  It  is  used  to  include  all 
that  weakens  his  physical  or  mental  efficiency  and  power,  or  all 
that  would  naturally  tend  to  do  so.  Its  repetition  emphasizes 
two  things,  that  he  has  been  called  "weak"  instead  of  "bold"  or 
"strong,"  and  that  he  is  glorying,  like  his  opponents,  "in  the 
flesh."  Injuries.  The  word  is  found  in  the  New  Testament 
only  here  and  in  Acts  27:10,  21,  where  it  is  used  of  injury  to  the 
ship.  While  it  may  include  reproaches  (A.  V.)  its  chief  refer- 
ence is  to  insolent  and  intentional  bodily  harm.  Necessities 
.  .  .  distresses  (cf.  6:4),  persecutions;  i.e.,  any  form  of  hostile 
pursuit  and  attack.  For  Christ's  sake.  This  should  be  read 
with  /  take  pleasure  in.  For  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I 
strong.  A  striking  paradox,  giving  the  explanation  of  his  atti- 
tude toward  "weaknesses,"  and  giving  a  climax  to  his  conclusion. 
Whenever  (better  than  when)  he  is  "weak"  in  his  own  estima- 
tion and  that  of  others,  then,  experience  has  taught  him,  God's 
power  has  its  opportunity  in  him. 

11.  I  am  become  foolish.  Verses  11-13  are  a  transition 
to  what  Paul  has  to  say  about  his  intended  visit  to  Corinth.  It 
is  better  to  make  them  the  conclusion  to  the  preceding  paragraph 
rather  than  the  introduction  to  the  following.  Paul  stops  to 
read  over,  or  think  over,  what  he  has  just  been  writing,  and 
reiterates  what  he  said  at  the  beginning  (11  :i,  16,  17,  21),  that 
he  is  foolish  to  have  written  as  he  has.  There  are  two  excuses 
for  it;  they  drove  him  to  it;  and  the  truth  about  his  apostle- 
ship  seemed  to  warrant  it.  The  very  chiefest  apostles.  Again 
the  margin  is  better  (see  note  on  11:5).     Though  I  am  noth- 

301 


I2:i2     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

ought  to  have  been  commended  of  you:  for  in  noth- 
ing was  I  behind  ^  the  very  chiefest  apostles,  though 

12.  I  am  nothing.  Truly  the  signs  of  an  apostle  were 
wrought  among  you  in  all  patience,  by  signs  and 

13.  wonders  and  ^  mighty  works.  For  what  is  there 
wherein  ye  were  made  inferior  to  the  rest  of  the 
churches,  except  it  be  that  I  myself  was  not  a  burden 
to  you?  forgive  me  this  wrong. 

^  Or,  those  preeminent  apostles.  ^  Gr.,  powers. 

ing.  This  is  more  than  an  expression  of  humility.  It  is  a  reflec- 
tion on  the  "over  much"  apostles,  to  whom  he  was  in  nothing 
inferior, 

12.  The  signs  of  an  apostle  were  wrought,  i.e.,  by  God's 
power.  Paul  does  not  say  that  he  wrought  the  signs;  the  patience 
was  his,  i.e.,  the  stedfastness  and  the  endurance;  the  power  was 
God's,  He  characterizes  the  signs  of  an  apostle  with  three  words, 
signs,  wonders,  mighty  works.  Signs  is  repeated  with  a  different 
use.  One  of  the  accepted  marks  of  apostolic  authority  is 
"signs."  Signs  and  wonders  are  often  coupled  together  in  New 
Testament  use,  and  twice  these  three  words  are  associated,  as 
here  (Acts  2:22;  Heb,  2:4).  In  the  former  instance  the  refer- 
ence is  to  Jesus,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  are  meant 
to  include  supernatural  proofs,  such  as  miracles  of  healing.  The 
marginal  powers  is  more  literal  than  mighty  works  but  not  more 
intelligible.  The  three  words  should  be  taken  as  giving  the 
accepted  signs  of  an  apostle,  and  not  as  specifying  three  distinct 
kinds  of  signs.  It  is  one  of  the  very  brief  references  on  Paul's 
part  to  his  possession  of  special  powers.  See  also  Gal.  3:5; 
I  Cor.  14:18-19;  Rom.  15:18-19. 

13.  For  what  is  there.  Paul  closes  with  a  playful  reference 
to  the  one  thing  in  which  he  has  wronged  the  church  at  Corinth. 
It  is  a  mild  sarcasm  without  a  sting.  No  church  had  received 
more  from  Paul's  ministry  than  had  the  church  at  Corinth.  The 
only  difference  he  can  think  of  is  that  he  has  not  given  the 
Corinthians  the  favor  of  being  burdened  by  his  financial  support. 
For  this  omission,  this  wrong,  he  craves  their  forgiveness.  This 
is  not  pure  irony.  Paul  seems  to  have  felt  that  in  some  ways 
it  was  an  actual  wrong.  The  church  might  have  thought  more 
of  Paul  if  he  had  cost  it  more. 


302 


I2:i4 


VI.    Paul's  Intended  Visit  to  Corinth;  12:14 — 13:10 

14.        Behold,  this  is  the  third  time  I  am  ready  to  come 
to  you;  and  I  will  not  be  a  burden  to  you:  for  I  seek 

Paul's  Intended  Visit  to  Corinth 

1.  Its  number — the  third;  vss.  14,  i. 

2.  Its  object. 

a.  Pos.    To  seek  them. 

b.  Neg.     Not  to  seek  theirs, 
(i)  Explanation: 

(a)  Pos.     He  will  spend  and  be  spent  for  their  lives; 

vs.  15. 
(i)  Reason:     Parents  ought  to  lay  up  for  children. 
(2)   Reason:     He  loves  them  so  much. 

(b)  Neg.    He  will  not  be  a  burden  on  them. 
(i)   Directly — by  his  coming;  vs.  14. 

(2)  Indirectly — through  others;  vs.  15. 

(a)  Explanation:      They     charged     him    with 

"catching  them  with  guile";  vs.  16. 
(6)   Proof:     The  charge  is  false,  vs.  17: 
(i)  Titus  made  nothing  out  of  them 

(2)  Nor  the  brother. 

(3)  All  walked  the  same  track;  vs.  18, 
(2)  Asseveration:     This  is  no  "excuse,"  but  truth  as  God 

sees  it;  vs.  19. 

3.  Its  possible  disappointment  to  Paid;  vs.  20. 

a.  Nature:     That  he  find  them  not  what  he  desires. 

b.  Specifications:     That  there  be  among  them: 

(i)  quarreling,  (2)  jealousy,  (3)  bad  tempers,  (4)  rivalries, 
(5)  slanders,  (6)  gossiping,  (7)  airs, 
(8)    dissensions. 

c.  Result:     Another  humbling  of  Paul  before  them;  vs.  21. 

d.  Result:     Another  mourning  by  Paul  for  those  who: 
(i)   In  general — have  sinned  and  not  repented. 

(2)  In  particular — are  grossly  immoral. 

4.  Its  possible  disappointment  to  them;  vss.  20-13:2,  2. 
a.  Nature:     He  will  spare  no  one  who  sins;  vs.  2. 

(i)  Witness:     His  previous  and  present  warning. 

303 


I2:i4     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

(2)  Reason:     Their  demand  of  proof  that  Christ  speaks  in 
him;  vs.  3. 

b.  Effect:     Knowledge    of    the    kind    of    Christ    who    speaks 

through  him. 
(i)  Neg.    No  weakling. 
(2)  Pos,  But  a  Christ  of  power,  who: 

(a)  was  crucified  as  a  result  of  "weakness,"  vs.  4, 

(b)  but  lives  as  a  result  of  God's  power. 

(c)  expresses  himself  in  Paul's  "weakness"'  and  power. 

c.  Safeguard  (i.e.,  the  way  to  prevent  it)   testing  themselves; 

vs.  5. 
(i)  Nature  of  test:     Proof  that  they  are  in  the  faith. 

Explanation:      Either   Christ   is  in   them   or   they   are 
failures. 

(2)  Result  of  test:     They  will  come  to  know  that  Paul  is 

not  a  failure;   vs.   6. 

(3)  Aid  of  test:     Paul's  continual  prayer  for  them;  vs.  7. 
(a)  End: 

(i)  Neg.    Not  Paul's  vindication. 
(2)  Pos.    but    their    perfecting,    no    matter    what 
the  estimate  of  Paul;  vss.  7,  9. 
(6)  Grounds  (of  Paul's  prayer) : 

(i)   His  loyalty  to  the  truth;  vs.  8. 
(2)  His  eagerness  for  their  strength,  even  at  the 
expense  of  his  weakness;  vs.  g. 
Conclusion:    The  object  of  the  letter — to  make  unnecessary  the 
exercise  of  Paul's  authority;  vs.  10. 

14.  Behold  this  is  the  third  time  I  am  ready  to  come  to 
you.  With  a  change  in  tone  Paul  turns  to  his  intended  visit 
to  Corinth.  He  is  making  his  plans  and  it  will  be  his  third  visit. 
The  translation  is  unfortunate  in  that  it  reads  as  if  it  were  a 
third  readiness  to  come  rather  than  a  third  coming  for  which  he 
is  ready.  Undoubtedly  the  first  visit  was  his  eighteen  months' 
stay  (Acts  18:11)  ;  the  second  was  the  visit  "with  sorrow'  (2:1). 
It  is  difficult  to  see  how  he  could  have  written  as  he  does  about 
this  third  visit  if  Titus  had  brought  him  the  report  that  caused 
the  joy  of  7:7,  13.  It  is  with  much  anxiety  and  misgiving  that 
Paul  looks  forward  to  this  third  visit.  I  will  not  be  a  burden 
to  you.  It  is  this  thought  of  the  "burden"  that  is  the  transition 
from  the  preceding  section  (vs.  13)  to  this  closing  section.  Even 
though  it  may  be  in  a  certain  sense  a  "wrong"  to  fail  in  being 
a  burden  upon  them,  he  will  not  change  his  habit.  He  will  come 
at  his  own  expense.  For  I  seek  not  yours  but  you.  This 
gives  the  reason  which  of  course  is  back  of  his  consistent  habit  of 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS      12:18 

not  yours,  but  you :  for  the  children  ought  not  to  lay 
up  for  the  parents,  but  the  parents  for  the  children. 

15.  And  I  will  most  gladly  spend  and  be  ^  spent  for  your 
souls.     If  I  love  you  more  abundantly,  am  I  lovtd 

16.  the  less?    But  be  it  so,  I  did  not  myself  burden  you; 

17.  but,  being  crafty,  I  caught  you  with  guile.     Did  I 
take  advantage  of  you  by  any  one  of  them  whom  I 

18.  have  sent  unto  you?     I  exhorted  Titus,  and  I  sent 

^  Gr.,  spent  out. 

independence.  He  wants  no  misunderstanding  of  his  object.  He 
is  after  them,  not  after  their  money.  He  feels  toward  them  like 
a  parent.  Parents  do  not  find  it  easy  to  be  supported  by  their 
children.     Paul  does  not  say  support,  but  lay  up  for  the  parents. 

15.  Be  spent.  The  marginal  be  spent  out  is  more  literal.  It 
means  be  used  up.  Souls.  Lives  is  better  than  souls,  and  so 
usually  (see  1:23).  The  word  rendered  soul  here  is  variously 
translated.  Soul,  life,  and  self  are  all  satisfactory  renderings  of 
the  original  word;  but  sometimes  one  is  much  more  appropriate 
than  another.  It  is  well  to  try  each  of  the  three  renderings 
whenever  the  word  soul  occurs,  adopting  the  one  that  seems  most 
apt.  If  I  love  you  more  abundantly  am  I  loved  the  less? 
It  is  not  certain  that  this  is  a  question.  At  best  it  is  an  awkward 
expression.  Another  reading,  which  is  perhaps  better,  renders 
the  verse  in  this  way:  "I  will  most  gladly  spend  and  be  spent 
out  for  your  lives  even  if  the  more  I  love  you  the  less  I  am 
loved  by  you."  Even  if  his  love  meets  with  no  reciprocal  love 
from  them  he  will  nevertheless  spend  himself  on  them  till  he  is 
exhausted — used  up.  This  is  in  keeping  with  the  parental  tone  of 
all  of  verses  14-15. 

16.  But  be  it  so.  This  introduces  another  insinuation  which 
had  been  made  against  Paul.  "Granted,"  they  said,  "that  you 
yourself  were  not  a  burden,  nevertheless  you  were  naturally  clever 
and  caught  us  by  a  trick.  You  sent  your  representatives  and 
they  took  advantage  of  us." 

17.  Did  I  take  advantage  of  you  .  .  .  ?  The  question  ex- 
pects a  negative  answer.  "I  did  not  take  advantage  of  you,  did 
I?"     It  is  equivalent  to  a  denial  of  the  insinuation. 

18.  I  exhorted  Titus  and  I  sent  the  brother  with  him. 
Apparently  this  is  a  reference  to  the  part  these  two  had  in 
starting  the  campaign  for  the  contribution  to  the  Jerusalem 
church.     When   they   visited   Corinth  cannot   be   determined.     A 


12  119     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

the  brother  with  him.  Did  Titus  take  any  advantage 
of  you?  walked  we  not  by  the  same  Spirit?  walked 
we  not  in  the  same  steps? 

19.  ^  Ye  think  all  this  time  that  we  are  excusing  our- 
selves unto  you.  In  the  sight  of  God  speak  we  in 
Christ.    But  all  things,  beloved,  are  for  your  edify- 

20.  ing.    For  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  when  I  come,  I 

^  Or,    Think  ye   .    .    .   you? 

reference  to  this  visit  is  probably  found  in  8:6,  "as  he  had  made 
a  beginning  before."  It  certainly  is  not  a  reference  to  Titus' 
visit  in  company  with  two  others  on  the  business  of  the  con- 
tribution (8:17,  18,  22),  for  no  arrangement  of  Paul's  letters 
can  be  made  to  place  the  visit  earlier  than  this  writing.  It  is 
not  probable  that  it  was  the  visit  (2:13;  7:6,  13)  on  which  Titus 
accomplished  the  reconciliation,  even  if  these  last  four  chapters 
are  a  part  of  the  whole  letter.  We  have  no  hint  of  any  other 
visit  by  Titus  to  Corinth,  though  of  course  there  may  have  been 
one.  Who  the  brother  was  we  do  not  know.  Did  Titus  take 
any  advantage  of  you?  Again  the  question  expects  a  negative 
answer.  Its  form  implies  that  no  one  ever  had  any  suspicions 
of  Titus'  sincerity  and  honesty.  By  the  same  spirit.  The  ren- 
dering of  the  A.  V.  in  the  same  spirit  is  here  preferable.  It  is 
the  spirit  of  the  parent  who  desires  to  spend  and  be  spent  for 
the  child.  In  the  same  steps — this  refers  to  their  methods. 
In  spirit  and  in  method  Titus  and  Paul  have  been  one. 

19.  Ye  think.  It  is  better  to  put  it,  as  the  margm  suggests, 
into  interrogative  form,  think  ye?  All  this  time,  i.e.,  during 
all  this  "glorying"  (chs.  10-12). 

Excusing  ourselves,  i.e.,  defending  ourselves.  It  may  have 
sounded  like  an  excuse  or  a  defense,  but  its  real  object  has  been 
the  edifying,  i.e.,  the  building  up,  the  helpful  instruction,  of  the 
readers.  In  the  sight  of  God  speak  we  in  Christ.  Not  the 
Corinthian  church,  but  God,  is  the  judge,  in  whose  presence  Paul 
speaks,  and  whose  approval  he  seeks.  In  all  he  has  written  he 
has  not  forgotten  God's  presence  nor  that  he  himself  is  in  Christ. 
This  is  in  effect  an  asseveration  of  his  truthfulness. 

20.  For  introduces  the  explanation  of  their  implied  need  of 
edifying.  It  is  found  in  the  two  disappointments  which  Paul 
fears  are  in  store  for  him  and  for  the  church.  How  could  he 
have  feared  these  disappointments  after  Titus'  joyful  message 
unless  Titus  had  at  first   kept  something  serious  back?     Lest 

306 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       13:1 

should  find  you  not  such  as  I  would,  and  should  my- 
self be  found  of  you  such  as  ye  would  not;  lest 
by  any  means  there  should  be  strife,  jealousy, 
wraths,  factions,  backbitings,  whisperings,  swellings, 

21.  ^  tumults;  lest,  when  I  come  again,  my  God  should 
humble  me  before  you,  and  I  should  mourn  for  many 
of  them  that  have  sinned  heretofore,  and  repented 
not  of  the  uncleanness  and  fornication  and  lascivious- 
ness  which  they  committed. 

13.  I.  This  is  the  third  time  I  am  coming  to  you.  At  the 
mouth  of  two  witnesses  or  three  shall  every  word  be 

^  Or,  disorders. 

by  any  means  there  should  be.  Paul  is  fond  of  lists,  both 
of  virtues  and  of  vices.  There  are  many  examples  (Gal.  5:19-23; 
Col.  3:5-9).  Usually  the  lists  seem  to  be  not  haphazard  but 
carefully  thought  out.  Here  he  uses  eight  specific  dangers.  They 
seem  to  be  arranged  in  pairs.  The  first  two  are  singular,  the 
others  plural.  Possibly  the  first  two,  a  jealous,  quarrelsome 
spirit,  are  thought  of  as  the  general  characteristics  out  of  which 
six  particulars  spring  (see  outline).  In  i  Cor.  3:3  he  uses  these 
first  two  words,  "whereas  there  is  among  you  jealousy  and 
strife,"  and  applies  it  to  the  existence  in  the  church  of  rival 
parties.  Tumults  is  not  as  satisfactory  a  rendering  as  dissen- 
sions, or  the  marginal  disorders. 

21.  Lest,  when  I  come  again.  A  better  reading  is,  "lest, 
when  I  come,  my  God  should  humble  me  again."  Again  is 
emphatic.  He  had  been  humbled  before  them  during  his  recent 
visit.  And  I  should  mourn  for  many.  By  common  usage 
mourn  signifies  mourn  as  dead.  There  is  possibly  a  concealed 
threat  in  the  word.  Either  that,  or  else  the  mourning  will  be 
for  the  offenders  as  lost  forever  to  the  church.  Such  mourning 
will  be  a  part  of  his  humiliation,  and  a  result  of  what  he  finds 
them  to  be.  If  the  church  were  not  so  full  of  jealousy  and 
quarreling  there  would  be  less  sensual  sin  unrepented  of.  Them 
that  have  sinned  heretofore,  i.e.,  those  who  on  Paul's  recent 
painful  visit  to  Corinth  were  found  in  a  state  of  shameless 
heathen  sin,  and  did  not  repent.  He  fears  there  may  be  many 
of  them.     Lasciviousness,  i.e.,  unbridled  licentiousness. 

13:1.  This  is  the  third  time.  The  repetition  of  this  state- 
ment (12:14)    shows  that  verse  14  above  was  the  beginning  of 


13:2       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

2.  established.  I  have  said  ^beforehand,  and  I  do  say 
^  beforehand,  ^  as  when  I  was  present  the  second  time, 
so  now,  being  absent,  to  them  that  have  sinned  here- 
tofore, and  to  all  the  rest,  that,  if  I  come  again,  I 

3.  will  not  spare;  seeing  that  ye  seek  a  proof  of  Christ 

^  Or,  plainly. 

^  Or,  as  if  I  were  present  the  second  time,  even  though  I  am  now 
absent. 

this  last  paragraph,  even  though  he  again  went  back  to  the 
thought  of  being  a  burden.  At  the  mouth  of  two  witnesses 
or  three.  This  Old  Testament  injunction  (Deut.  19:15)  seems 
to  have  become  almost  a  proverb  (cf.  Matt.  18:16).  Paul's  use 
of  it  here  has  given  rise  to  various  explanations:  e.g.,  that  he 
means  to  assure  them  that  when  he  comes  all  the  culprits  will 
have  a  legal  trial;  or,  that  his  three  visits  are  the  three  wit- 
nesses. Neither  of  these  is  satisfactory.  It  seems  as  if  his  use 
of  third  suggested  the  three.  He  is  going  on  at  once  to  explain 
how  his  visit  may  be  a  disappointment  to  the  church  (12:20) 
as  well  as  to  himself.  His  treatment  of  the  offenders  will  be 
final.  He  will  not  spare  them.  But  just  as  he  has  several  times 
softened  his  tone  by  a  lighter,  almost  playful  touch,  so  here  he 
softens  the  threat  to  come  by  a  playful  use  of  a  proverb  which 
is  perhaps  equivalent  to  our  "three  times  and  out." 

2.  I  have  said  beforehand.  There  is  no  sufficient  reason 
for  the  marginal  rendering  plainly  instead  of  beforehand.  Still 
less  is  there  reason  for  the  rendering  given  the  next  clause  by 
the  margin.  The  sentence  is  awkward  but  the  text  gives  the 
meaning.  Just  as  on  his  second  visit  Paul  gave  warning  in  per- 
son that  he  would  not  spare  them,  so  now  he  repeats  from  a 
distance  the  same  warning.  The  repeated  warning  includes  those 
to  whom  it  was  first  given  and  all  the  rest,  i.e.,  all  who  since 
then  may  have  similarly  sinned. 

3.  Seeing  that  ye  seek.  A  comma  is  sufficient  to  separate 
this  from  the  preceding.  This  is  the  reason  that  he  cannot  spare 
them;  they  have  challenged  him  to  proof  that  Christ  speaks  in 
him.  He  must  furnish  the  proof.  Who  to  you-ward  is  not 
weak.  No  matter  what  they  may  think  of  Paul's  weakness  they 
cannot  consider  Christ's  relation  to  them  as  that  of  a  weakling. 
There  had  been  evidences  enough,  even  in  the  church  at  Corinth, 
that  God's  power  was  unmistakably  in  Christ.  These  evidences 
were  chiefly  those  of  Christian  character,  developed  by  the  power 
of  Christ. 

308 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS       13:5 

that  speaketh  in  me;  who  to  you-ward  is  not  weak, 

4.  but  is  powerful  in  you:  for  he  was  crucified  through 
weakness,  yet  he  liveth  through  the  power  of  God. 
For  we  also  are  weak  ^  in  him^  but  we  shall  live  with 

5.  him  through  the  power  of  God  toward  you.  Try  your 
own  selves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith;  prove  your 

^  Many   ancient  authorities   read   with. 

4.  The  effect  of  Paul's  third  visit  to  Corinth,  if  it  is  to  be  a 
"disappointment"  to  the  church,  will  be  to  show  them  the  kind 
of  Christ  who  does  speak  through  him.  He  is  not  weak,  but  a 
Christ  of  power.  The  evidence  of  the  power  is  found  in  verse  4. 
For  he  was  crucified  through  weakness.  Through  gives  the 
origin,  as  a  result  of  "weakness."  Paul's  thought  can  be  ren- 
dered by  putting  quotation  marks  about  weakness.  It  was  as 
a  result  of  that  thing  called  "weakness,"  when  it  was  said  of 
him,  "he  saved  others,  himself  he  cannot  save"  (Mk.  15:31), 
that  he  was  crucified.  As  a  result  of  (through)  the  power  of 
God  he  lives.  For  we  also  are  weak  in  him.  The  for  adds 
a  further  explanation  of  Christ  as  a  power,  and  it  is  Paul's 
special  point.  In  him  is  probably  better  than  the  with  him  of 
the  margin.  Closely  identified  with  Christ,  Paul  too  is  "weak," 
in  the  same  sense  that  Christ  is  "weak,"  but,  just  because  he 
has  died  with  him,  he  has  been  raised  together  with  him  to  a 
life  in  which  God's  power  is  everywhere  expressed.  See  Col. 
3:1-4.  It  is  that  power  which  they  shall  witness  when  Paul 
comes  again  and  does  not  spare  them.  Note  the  change  from 
"I"  to  "we." 

5.  Try  your  own  selves.  In  this  way  they  can  prevent  the 
disappointment  that  he  fears  his  third  visit  will  cause  them. 
If  they  stop  trying  Paul  and  try  themselves  as  to  whether  they 
are  really  Christians  or  not,  the  special  exercise  of  his  power 
will  be  unnecessary.  Whether  ye  be  in  the  faith,  i.e.,  whether 
ye  be  Christians.  The  faith  is  the  Christian  life  of  the  faithful, 
or  the  principles  on  which  that  life  is  founded.  Prove  your 
own  selves.  The  pronouns  are  very  emphatic.  They  have  spent 
too  much  time  trying  to  prove  Paul.  He  changes  from  try  to 
prove,  and  that  leads  to  his  play  on  words  in  reprobate.  Or, 
know  ye  not.  The  object  of  their  proof  is  to  test  whether  or 
not  they  are  Christians,  i.e.,  whether  Christ  is  in  them.  If  he 
is  not  in  them,  then  they  fail  of  the  test,  and  are  reprobate. 
Reprobate  is  not  the  best  word  to  render  the  thought.  It  is 
kindred  with  the  word  prove,  but  it  has  an  acquired  alien  sig- 


13:6       EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

own  selves.   Or  know  ye  not  as  to  your  own  selves, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you?  unless  indeed  ye  be 

6.  reprobate.     But  I  hope  that  ye  shall  know  that  we 

7.  are  not  reprobate.  Now  we  pray  to  God  that  ye  do 
no  evil;  not  that  we  may  appear  approved,  but  that 
ye  may  do  that  which  is  honourable,  ^  though  we  be 

8.  as  reprobate.     For  we  can  do  nothing  against  the 

9.  truth,  but  for  the  truth.  For  we  rejoice,  when  we  are 
weak,  and  ye  are  strong:  this  we  also  pray  for,  even 

1  Gr.,  and  that. 

nificance.     Failures  in  the  test,  or,  simply  j allures  would  carry 
the  meaning  better. 

6.  But  I  hope  that  ye  shall  know,  i.e.,  I  hope  that  your 
test  of  yourselves  will  show  you  what  it  means  to  be  in  the 
faith,  and  then  you  will  come  to  know  that  I  too  have  stood 
the  proof  and  have  not  failed  in  the  test — am  not  reprobate. 

7.  Now  we  pray  to  God.  But  would  be  better  than  now. 
His  prayer  is  like  the  expression  of  another  hope.  The  thought 
is  this:  "My  prayer  is,  not  that  I  and  my  power  may  be  vindi- 
cated, but  that  you  may  give  up  the  wrong  and  do  the  right, 
whether  I  am  vindicated  or  not."  Though  we  be  as  reprobate. 
The  marginal  reading  and  that  is  literal,  but  it  is  not  better  than 
though.  Paul  prays  that  they  may  stand  the  test  (appear 
approved)  even  though  it  leave  him  and  his  claims  without  proof 
{reprobate) .  If  the  Corinthians  must  continue  sinful  and  re- 
bellious in  order  to  put  his  authority  to  the  test,  he  prays  that 
he  may  go  as  it  were  untested,  unproved. 

8.  For  we  can  do  nothing  against  the  truth.  Paul  finds 
it  difficult  to  stop.  For  introduces  the  explanation  of  verse  7. 
His  relationship  to  the  truth  would  make  it  impossible  for  him 
to  desire  to  be  vindicated  at  the  expense  of  the  Corinthians' 
inconsistent  lives,  if  it  can  possibly  be  avoided.  He  is  for  the 
truth  first,  last  and  all  the  time. 

9.  For  we  rejoice  when  we  are  weak  and  ye  are  strong. 
Still  another  for.  It  is  coordinate  with  the  explanation  of  verse 
7,  and  adds  an  example  of  what  he  means.  He  rejoices — it  is  no 
mere  passive  acceptance  of  the  truth — he  rejoices  to  be  weak, 
to  continue  to  appear  weak,  if  only  they  can  be  proved  and 
found  strong  Christians.  This  we  also  pray  for,  even  your 
perfecting.  Perfecting  is  what  he  means  by  strong,  i.e.,  strong, 
growing  Christians,    His  prayer  is  not  only  that  they  may  do  no 

310 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     13:10 

10.  your  perfecting.  For  this  cause  I  write  these  things 
while  absent,  that  I  may  not  when  present  deal 
sharply,  according  to  the  authority  which  the  Lord 
gave  me  for  building  up,  and  not  for  casting  down. 

evil,  or  may  do  that  which  is  honorable  (vs.  7)  but  that  they 
may  be  everything  which  they  ought  to  be. 

10.  For  this  cause  I  write  these  things.  Here  is  Paul's 
ultimate  reason  for  writing  all  that  he  has.  These  things  in- 
cludes 10:1 — 13:9.  By  letter,  by  warnings,  by  threats,  by  his 
extended  "glorying,"  he  hopes  to  prevent  the  necessity  of  dealing 
sharply  when  he  makes  the  third  visit.  According  to  the  au- 
thority. After  all,  his  God-given  authority  has  but  one  end; 
it  is  building  up,  not  casting  down.  And  therefore  whatever 
casting  down  may  be  necessary  finds  its  justification  only  when 
it  is  a  preparation  for  building  up. 

And  thus  ends  this  strenuous,  heart-breaking  letter  (chs.  10-13). 
Except  for  the  final  conclusion  there  is  little  to  relieve  its  con- 
tinued strain.  Here  and  there  Paul  seeks  to  relieve  it  by  a  play- 
ful touch  in  lighter  vein.  But  the  attempts  serve  only  to  show 
how  deep  his  feeling  is  and  how  serious  the  conditions  in  Corinth. 
Can  Paul  have  written  this  after  writing  the  joyful,  hopeful, 
encouraged  letter  of  chapters  1-9? 


3" 


13:11 


Conclusion;  13:11-14 

II.        Finally,   brethren,   ^farewell.      Be  perfected;    be 
comforted;  be  of  the  same  mind;  live  in  peace:  and 

^  Or,   rejoice:   be  perfected. 

Conclusion — The  Farewell  Summary 
what  the  corinthians  should  be  and  have: 

1.  Content,  vs.  11: 

a.  Be  mended. 

b.  Be  encouraged. 

c.  Have  harmony. 

d.  Cultivate  peace. 

2.  Result,  vs.  12: 

The  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  them. 

SALUTATIONS : 

1.  Salute  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss;  vs.  12. 

2.  All  the  saints  salute  you;  vs.  13. 

BENEDICTION,   VS.    I4: 

The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

The  love  of  God, 

The  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with  you  all. 

II.  Finally.  The  conclusion  is  brief  and  in  milder  tone.  No 
words  are  wasted;  there  are  no  personal  greetings;  no  names  are 
mentioned.  It  is  dignified,  almost  solemn;  but  it  is  not  lacking 
in  friendliness  or  affection.  It  is  a  fitting  close  to  such  a  letter 
as  chapters  10-13.  Farewell.  The  marginal  suggestion  rejoice 
gives  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word  Paul  used.  It  was  the 
stereotyped  form  of  salutation  in  a  letter,  usually  translated 
"greeting"  (Acts  15:23;  23:26;  Jas.  1:1),  and  about  equivalent 
to  "dear  sir."  At  the  close  of  a  letter  it  is  just  as  formal,  and 
farewell  is  the  better  rendering.  Be  perfected,  i.e.,  become  what 
a  church  ought  to  be.     Of  broken  things  the  same  word  is  used 

312 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS     13:14 

12.  the  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you.  Salute 
one  another  with  a  holy  kiss. 

13.  All  the  saints  salute  you. 

14.  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be 
with  you  all. 

for  mend.  The  church  at  Corinth  needed  mending,  improvement, 
perfecting  (cf.  "to  mend  one's  ways"). 

Be  comforted,  i.e.,  be  encouraged  (see  note  on  1:3-4)-  The 
word  has  been  used  several  times  in  the  letter  for  exhort,  and 
here  be  exhorted,  listen  to  our  exhortations,  is  a  possible  render- 
ing. Be  of  the  same  mind,  i.e.,  think  the  same  thing;  think 
alike;  have  harmony  of  purpose  and  of  thought.  Lack  of  such 
harmony  was  the  cause  of  most  of  the  trouble  at  Corinth.  Live 
in  peace.  Better,  cidtivate  peace.  Paul  uses  four  carefully 
chosen  and  very  comprehensive  words.  They  cover  his  whole 
message  to  this  broken  and  distraught  church.  And  the  God  of 
love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you.  The  God  whose  charac- 
teristics are  love  and  peace.  If  they  are  the  church  of  God  (1:1) 
they  must  covet  for  themselves  the  characteristics  of  God.  Only 
here  in  the  New  Testament  is  the  phrase  "God  of  love"  found. 
"God  of  peace"  is  used  a  number  of  times  (i  Cor.  14:33;  Rom. 
16:20;  Heb.  13:20). 

12.  Salute  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss  (cf.  i  Cor.  16:20; 

1  Thess.  5:26;  Rom.  16:16).  The  kiss  was  not  only  an  expres- 
sion of  friendship  and  affection  but  of  respect  or  reverence.  In 
the  early  church  it  was  adopted  as  a  token  of  Christian  brother- 
hood and  unity.  It  had  a  religious  significance  and  hence  was  a 
holy  kiss. 

13.  All  the  saints  salute  you,  i.e.,  all  the  Christians  with 
whom  Paul  is  now  associated  in  Macedonia;  possibly  the  church 
at  Philippi. 

14.  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  most  familiar  benediction  in  the 
church  today  is  the  benediction  with  which  Paul  closes  this  letter. 
Nowhere  else  in  Paul's  letters  or  in  the  New  Testament  is  it 
found  in  this  form. 

Paul's  benedictions,  like  his  salutations,  are  worthy  of  very 
careful  study.  In  every  benediction  he  uses  the  word  grace. 
In  four  letters  (Col.,  i  Tim.,  2  Tim.,  Titus)  it  is  simply  "grace 
he  with  you."     In   seven  letters    (Rom.,   i    Cor.,   Gal.,  Phil.,    i, 

2  Thess.,  Philem.)  he  uses  the  form  The  grace  of  our  (the) 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  adding  either  be  with  you,  or  be  with  your 


13:14     EPISTLES  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 

spirit.     Ephesians  he  closes  with   Grace   be  with  all   them  that 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

In  this  benediction,  after  beginning  as  is  his  custom,  Paul 
adds,  and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  That  these  are  an  addition  to  his  usual  form  explains 
their  order.  Otherwise  we  should  expect  the  love  of  God  to 
come  first.  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  i.e.,  Christ's 
gracious  giving  of  himself  and  of  all  good  gifts  (see  8:9).  By 
his  giving  he  became  the  reflexion  and  pattern  of  God's  grace, 
both  God's  "unspeakable  gift,"  and  the  type  of  God's  unstinted 
giving.  The  love  of  God,  i.e.,  God's  love  for  them.  Grace  is 
Gods  love  expressed  in  giving.  The  communion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  i.e.,  the  fellowship  or  companionship  which  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  (3:17-18),  makes  possible  for  the 
Christian  to  have  with  God,  with  Christ  and  with  his  fellow 
Christians;  hence  Christian  fellowship.  In  Eph.  4:3  the  "unity 
of  the  Spirit"  is  the  unity  of  fellowship  which  binds  the  church 
as  a  body  of  Christ.  In  the  thought  of  i  Jn.  1:3  fellowship  with 
God,  with  Christ  and  with  fellow  Christians  is  all  one  fellowship. 
So  Paul's  benediction  is  not  a  mere  stereotyped  phrase  for  a 
formal  ending  of  a  letter  or  of  worship,  but  an  earnest  petition 
for  God's  best  blessings  to  rest  through  Christ  and  His  spirit 
upon  the  church. 


314 


Date  Due 


